Does Farmers’ Yard Waterlogging or Displacement From Houses Affect Social Health? Insights From Social Participation and Support Perspectives of Waterlogged Farmers in Bangladesh

Waterlogged farmers struggle with multiple issues, including unstable income sources, difficulty fulfilling family needs, and social insecurity. These Pressures can erode social ties and reduce participation in community life, with implications for social health. This study explores the influence of farmers’ yard waterlogging and displacement from their houses on their social health, operationalized through social participation and social support. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 480 randomly selected waterlogged farmers between February and May 2023. Social participation and social support were measured using 4-point scales, non-parametric and regression techniques. Most respondents reported waterlogging, while a smaller proportion had been displaced from their houses. Overall, social participation during waterlogging was low, especially for activities such as volunteering and solving social problems, whereas perceived social support from family members was consistently high. Yard waterlogging was associated with slightly higher support but only modest differences in participation, while displacement from houses was associated with lower levels of social participation and no corresponding gains in support, highlighting contrasting effects on farmers’ social health. Local, community, and national disaster management committees can strengthen farmers’ social health by supporting opportunities for meaningful social participation, ensuring targeted assistance for displaced households, and enhancing early warning and waterlogging mitigation measures.