Samantha Winter
Biographic Data
| ID | 3697057 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Samantha Winter |
| GIVEN NAMES | Samantha |
| FAMILY NAME | Winter |
| SIGNATURE | WINTER S |
| AFFILIATIONS | Columbia University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-6629-7642 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 25 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 16 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 25 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1994 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
A pathways framework for the climate change-mental health-violence nexus in informal settlements
Feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a combined intimate partner violence (IPV) and mental health intervention (WINGS+PM+) for women in informal settlements in Kenya
An Exploration of Pathways to Care and Referral Systems for Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence in Informal Settlements of Nairobi, Kenya
Toward integrating clinical and non-clinical associates of suicidality to inform potential intervention points among youth in Nairobi metropolitan, Kenya
Suicide is a significant global public health concern, particularly among adolescents, with substantial implications for economies, societies and individuals' mental well-being. Understanding its patterns and intention and psychosocial determinants in a given context can suggest potential intervention points. This population-based cross-sectional study aimed to document suicidal ideas, behaviors and intensity among youths aged 14 to 25 in the Nai…
Experiences of extreme weather and mental health in climate-vulnerable communities
Climate change is a major global health threat with significant impacts on mental health, especially among vulnerable populations. Residents of informal settlements-characterized by inadequate infrastructure and housing-are particularly at risk due to their exposure to extreme weather and limited access to healthcare. This study investigates the association between experiences of extreme weather and mental health among women residing in two large…
A qualitative exploration of gender-based violence throughout the migration journey among refugee women in Nairobi, Kenya
This study highlights the continuity of GBV across the migration trajectory, with some forms shifting and others remaining the same but also persisting across the three stages. The findings indicate the need for survivor-centered interventions that address cultural, structural, and systemic drivers of GBV while strengthening protection and services for urban refugees. By centering on refugee women's voices, this study helps fill the evidence gap …
Economic Abuse and Predatory Financial Service use Among Intimate Partner Violence Survivors
Purpose Predatory financial services allow individuals to access financial resources quickly, but at high costs. Given the economic impacts that intimate partner violence (IPV), particularly economic abuse, often has, it is possible that survivors use predatory financial services to meet their basic financial needs. However, limited research has been done examining predatory financial service use among IPV survivors. The purpose of this explorato…
Socio-ecological impacts of extreme weather events in two informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya
Climate change is expected to profoundly impact health and coping and widen social and environmental inequalities. People living in informal settlements are especially vulnerable to climate change as they are often located in ecologically sensitive areas more susceptible to extreme weather events (EWEs), such as floods, droughts, and heat waves. Women residing in informal settlements are especially vulnerable to climate change and related EWEs be…
Extreme weather should be defined according to impacts on climate-vulnerable communities
Sanitation-related violence against women in informal settlements in Kenya
Introduction: Approximately 3.6 billion people around the world do not have access to safe sanitation options. Those lacking access are not only at risk of diarrheal disease, other tropical diseases, and parasitic infections, they are at greater risk of experiencing violence, particularly women and girls. The burden of lack of access to safe sanitation is disproportionately experienced by women in informal settlements in lower- and middle-income …
Depressive symptoms and associated social and environmental factors among women living in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya
Approximately 280 million people around the world suffer from depression, and the rates are higher among women than men. For women living in informal settlements in lower - and middle-income countries (LMICs) the prevalence and associated burden of depressive symptoms may be particularly high. The purpose of this paper was to explore factors associated with possible major depressive disorder (MDD) in a probability sample of women living in Mathar…
Someone you can count on
The aim of this study was to examine whether social support mediated the relationship between economic abuse, a form of intimate partner violence, and mental health, specifically depression, among pregnant women. This cross‐sectional study used a sample of 193 pregnant women living in the United States who participated in an online Qualtrics panel survey in January 2021. Hayes Process Macro was used to assess a mediation model. Economic abuse was…
There is no place to dispose them. What would you have me do?’’
It Is Like Medicine”
Despite the well-documented health benefits of recreational sports, few opportunities exist in lower- and middle-income countries for adult women to participate in recreational physical activities. An explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was used to explore associations between an innovative soccer program for adult women and self-reported health status. Cross-sectional survey data were collected in 2018-2019 from 702 women in the Nikumb…
Next, it will be you”
Around one billion people live in informal settlements globally, including over half of Nairobi, Kenya’s 3 million residents. The purpose of this study was to explore women’s fear of victimization within Mathare, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya and how fear of victimization influences women’s behaviors. Fifty-five in-depth interviews were conducted with women in 2015–2016. A modified grounded theory approach guided data collection and an…
Neighborhood Cohesion, Perceptions of Disorder, and the Geography of Women’s Fear of Crime in Informal Settlements in Nairobi, Kenya
Fear of crime is more pervasive and harder to address than crime itself and can cause physical and psychological health complications, particularly for women. Fear of crime is not always grounded in direct exposure to crime. Instead, it may be more directly linked to social cohesion and/or perceptions of neighborhood disorder, but little is known about these associations in informal settlements. This paper sought to explore these relationships in…
Matching anonymous participants in longitudinal research on sensitive topics
Environmental Correlates of Health-Related Quality of Life among Women Living in Informal Settlements in Kenya
Informal settlements (slums)-defined as residential areas lacking durable housing; sufficient living and public spaces; access to basic infrastructure, water, sanitation, and other services; and secure tenancy-are presumed to be poor health environments. Research in Kenya suggests that residents of these settlements have the worst health outcomes of any population, yet there is a paucity of research focused on the health and well-being of these r…
Adherence to screening appointments in a cervical cancer clinic serving HIV-positive women in Botswana
HIV-positive women in Botswana who are symptom free at initial screening may be lost to essential future screening and follow-up care without greater targeted communication regarding cervical cancer and the importance of regular screening. Strategies to reinforce health messages using cell phone reminders, appointment prompts at time of anti-retroviral drug (ARV) refills, and use of trained community workers to review cervical cancer risks may be…
Non-Partner Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Built Environment
This multicountry study used Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data from 138,097 women to explore the relationship between non-partner violence (NPV) and sanitation, water, and urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). One out of 15 women reports having experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a non-partner during the previous 12 months; within the region, prevalence ranges from 2.3-11.3%. Explanatory models of NPV improve in 11 of the 2…
Not just any toilet - women's solutions to sanitation in informal settlements in Nairobi
Evidence suggests sanitation development is more effective when women are involved. The purpose of this study was to provide women with an opportunity to share their perspectives and solutions to sanitation in informal settlements. Data were collected through 55 in-depth interviews with women in Mathare Valley informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. The most common solution was to build more toilets, but women had a variety of suggestions – includ…
Women’s sanitation practices in informal settlements
For decades, countries throughout the world have failed to meet sanitation-related development goals. Access to safe sanitation is undeniably linked to improved health outcomes; yet, 2.4 billion people, globally, still lack access. The persistent failure to meet sanitation goals suggests that our understanding of the factors that influence sustainable sanitation access and utilisation is incomplete. Despite growing availability of toilets in info…
Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Northwestern Botswana
Factors characterizing intimate partner violence (IPV) against women vary according to setting and must be understood in localized environments if effective interventions are to be identified. This 2009-2010 exploratory study in Maun, Botswana, used semistructured interviews to elicit information from 469 women about their experiences with IPV. Characteristics found to be important included suicide attempts, childhood exposure to familial violenc…
Predicting Bystander Behavior to Prevent Sexual Assault on College Campuses
Bystander intervention has been increasingly applied to prevent sexual violence on college campuses. Its underlying theory assumes unidirectional relationships between variables, predicting that bystander behaviors (i.e., actions taken to intervene in sexual violence situations) will be influenced by bystander intentions (BI; i.e., likelihood to intervene in the future), which in turn will be affected by bystander efficacy (BE; i.e., confidence t…
Jude 22–23
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
Predicting Bystander Behavior to Prevent Sexual Assault on College Campuses
Bystander intervention has been increasingly applied to prevent sexual violence on college campuses. Its underlying theory assumes unidirectional relationships between variables, predicting that bystander behaviors (i.e., actions taken to intervene in sexual violence situations) will be influenced by bystander intentions (BI; i.e., likelihood to intervene in the future), which in turn will be affected by bystander efficacy (BE; i.e., confidence t…
Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Northwestern Botswana
Factors characterizing intimate partner violence (IPV) against women vary according to setting and must be understood in localized environments if effective interventions are to be identified. This 2009-2010 exploratory study in Maun, Botswana, used semistructured interviews to elicit information from 469 women about their experiences with IPV. Characteristics found to be important included suicide attempts, childhood exposure to familial violenc…
Neighborhood Cohesion, Perceptions of Disorder, and the Geography of Women’s Fear of Crime in Informal Settlements in Nairobi, Kenya
Fear of crime is more pervasive and harder to address than crime itself and can cause physical and psychological health complications, particularly for women. Fear of crime is not always grounded in direct exposure to crime. Instead, it may be more directly linked to social cohesion and/or perceptions of neighborhood disorder, but little is known about these associations in informal settlements. This paper sought to explore these relationships in…
Non-Partner Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Built Environment
This multicountry study used Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data from 138,097 women to explore the relationship between non-partner violence (NPV) and sanitation, water, and urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). One out of 15 women reports having experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a non-partner during the previous 12 months; within the region, prevalence ranges from 2.3-11.3%. Explanatory models of NPV improve in 11 of the 2…
Next, it will be you”
Around one billion people live in informal settlements globally, including over half of Nairobi, Kenya’s 3 million residents. The purpose of this study was to explore women’s fear of victimization within Mathare, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya and how fear of victimization influences women’s behaviors. Fifty-five in-depth interviews were conducted with women in 2015–2016. A modified grounded theory approach guided data collection and an…
Jude 22–23
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
Predicting Bystander Behavior to Prevent Sexual Assault on College Campuses
Bystander intervention has been increasingly applied to prevent sexual violence on college campuses. Its underlying theory assumes unidirectional relationships between variables, predicting that bystander behaviors (i.e., actions taken to intervene in sexual violence situations) will be influenced by bystander intentions (BI; i.e., likelihood to intervene in the future), which in turn will be affected by bystander efficacy (BE; i.e., confidence t…
Women’s sanitation practices in informal settlements
For decades, countries throughout the world have failed to meet sanitation-related development goals. Access to safe sanitation is undeniably linked to improved health outcomes; yet, 2.4 billion people, globally, still lack access. The persistent failure to meet sanitation goals suggests that our understanding of the factors that influence sustainable sanitation access and utilisation is incomplete. Despite growing availability of toilets in info…
Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Northwestern Botswana
Factors characterizing intimate partner violence (IPV) against women vary according to setting and must be understood in localized environments if effective interventions are to be identified. This 2009-2010 exploratory study in Maun, Botswana, used semistructured interviews to elicit information from 469 women about their experiences with IPV. Characteristics found to be important included suicide attempts, childhood exposure to familial violenc…
Environmental Correlates of Health-Related Quality of Life among Women Living in Informal Settlements in Kenya
Informal settlements (slums)-defined as residential areas lacking durable housing; sufficient living and public spaces; access to basic infrastructure, water, sanitation, and other services; and secure tenancy-are presumed to be poor health environments. Research in Kenya suggests that residents of these settlements have the worst health outcomes of any population, yet there is a paucity of research focused on the health and well-being of these r…
Adherence to screening appointments in a cervical cancer clinic serving HIV-positive women in Botswana
HIV-positive women in Botswana who are symptom free at initial screening may be lost to essential future screening and follow-up care without greater targeted communication regarding cervical cancer and the importance of regular screening. Strategies to reinforce health messages using cell phone reminders, appointment prompts at time of anti-retroviral drug (ARV) refills, and use of trained community workers to review cervical cancer risks may be…
Non-Partner Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Built Environment
This multicountry study used Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data from 138,097 women to explore the relationship between non-partner violence (NPV) and sanitation, water, and urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). One out of 15 women reports having experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a non-partner during the previous 12 months; within the region, prevalence ranges from 2.3-11.3%. Explanatory models of NPV improve in 11 of the 2…
Not just any toilet - women's solutions to sanitation in informal settlements in Nairobi
Evidence suggests sanitation development is more effective when women are involved. The purpose of this study was to provide women with an opportunity to share their perspectives and solutions to sanitation in informal settlements. Data were collected through 55 in-depth interviews with women in Mathare Valley informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. The most common solution was to build more toilets, but women had a variety of suggestions – includ…
Matching anonymous participants in longitudinal research on sensitive topics
It Is Like Medicine”
Despite the well-documented health benefits of recreational sports, few opportunities exist in lower- and middle-income countries for adult women to participate in recreational physical activities. An explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was used to explore associations between an innovative soccer program for adult women and self-reported health status. Cross-sectional survey data were collected in 2018-2019 from 702 women in the Nikumb…
Next, it will be you”
Around one billion people live in informal settlements globally, including over half of Nairobi, Kenya’s 3 million residents. The purpose of this study was to explore women’s fear of victimization within Mathare, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya and how fear of victimization influences women’s behaviors. Fifty-five in-depth interviews were conducted with women in 2015–2016. A modified grounded theory approach guided data collection and an…
Neighborhood Cohesion, Perceptions of Disorder, and the Geography of Women’s Fear of Crime in Informal Settlements in Nairobi, Kenya
Fear of crime is more pervasive and harder to address than crime itself and can cause physical and psychological health complications, particularly for women. Fear of crime is not always grounded in direct exposure to crime. Instead, it may be more directly linked to social cohesion and/or perceptions of neighborhood disorder, but little is known about these associations in informal settlements. This paper sought to explore these relationships in…
There is no place to dispose them. What would you have me do?’’
Sanitation-related violence against women in informal settlements in Kenya
Introduction: Approximately 3.6 billion people around the world do not have access to safe sanitation options. Those lacking access are not only at risk of diarrheal disease, other tropical diseases, and parasitic infections, they are at greater risk of experiencing violence, particularly women and girls. The burden of lack of access to safe sanitation is disproportionately experienced by women in informal settlements in lower- and middle-income …
Depressive symptoms and associated social and environmental factors among women living in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya
Approximately 280 million people around the world suffer from depression, and the rates are higher among women than men. For women living in informal settlements in lower - and middle-income countries (LMICs) the prevalence and associated burden of depressive symptoms may be particularly high. The purpose of this paper was to explore factors associated with possible major depressive disorder (MDD) in a probability sample of women living in Mathar…
Someone you can count on
The aim of this study was to examine whether social support mediated the relationship between economic abuse, a form of intimate partner violence, and mental health, specifically depression, among pregnant women. This cross‐sectional study used a sample of 193 pregnant women living in the United States who participated in an online Qualtrics panel survey in January 2021. Hayes Process Macro was used to assess a mediation model. Economic abuse was…
Socio-ecological impacts of extreme weather events in two informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya
Climate change is expected to profoundly impact health and coping and widen social and environmental inequalities. People living in informal settlements are especially vulnerable to climate change as they are often located in ecologically sensitive areas more susceptible to extreme weather events (EWEs), such as floods, droughts, and heat waves. Women residing in informal settlements are especially vulnerable to climate change and related EWEs be…
Extreme weather should be defined according to impacts on climate-vulnerable communities
Experiences of extreme weather and mental health in climate-vulnerable communities
Climate change is a major global health threat with significant impacts on mental health, especially among vulnerable populations. Residents of informal settlements-characterized by inadequate infrastructure and housing-are particularly at risk due to their exposure to extreme weather and limited access to healthcare. This study investigates the association between experiences of extreme weather and mental health among women residing in two large…
A qualitative exploration of gender-based violence throughout the migration journey among refugee women in Nairobi, Kenya
This study highlights the continuity of GBV across the migration trajectory, with some forms shifting and others remaining the same but also persisting across the three stages. The findings indicate the need for survivor-centered interventions that address cultural, structural, and systemic drivers of GBV while strengthening protection and services for urban refugees. By centering on refugee women's voices, this study helps fill the evidence gap …
Economic Abuse and Predatory Financial Service use Among Intimate Partner Violence Survivors
Purpose Predatory financial services allow individuals to access financial resources quickly, but at high costs. Given the economic impacts that intimate partner violence (IPV), particularly economic abuse, often has, it is possible that survivors use predatory financial services to meet their basic financial needs. However, limited research has been done examining predatory financial service use among IPV survivors. The purpose of this explorato…
A pathways framework for the climate change-mental health-violence nexus in informal settlements
Feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a combined intimate partner violence (IPV) and mental health intervention (WINGS+PM+) for women in informal settlements in Kenya
An Exploration of Pathways to Care and Referral Systems for Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence in Informal Settlements of Nairobi, Kenya
Toward integrating clinical and non-clinical associates of suicidality to inform potential intervention points among youth in Nairobi metropolitan, Kenya
Suicide is a significant global public health concern, particularly among adolescents, with substantial implications for economies, societies and individuals' mental well-being. Understanding its patterns and intention and psychosocial determinants in a given context can suggest potential intervention points. This population-based cross-sectional study aimed to document suicidal ideas, behaviors and intensity among youths aged 14 to 25 in the Nai…
Medicine (17 works) · Environmental health (14 works) · Geography (12 works) · Socioeconomics (11 works) · Human settlement (10 works) · Sociology (10 works) · Economic growth (9 works) · Psychology (9 works) · Informal settlements (8 works) · Intimate Partner and Family Violence (8 works)