TY - RPRT T1 - Shining a Light on Internal Displacement: A Vision for the Future Y1 - 2021 ER - TY - ICOMM T1 - Getting ahead of Cholera and Putting Cholera behind Y1 - 2021 A1 - Juan Chaves-Gonzalez UR - https://www.anticipation-hub.org/news/getting-ahead-of-cholera-and-putting-cholera-behind ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Measuring gender-based violence risk mitigation in humanitarian settings: results from a comprehensive desk review and systematic mapping JF - BMJ Open Y1 - 2021 A1 - Jocelyn Kelly A1 - Emily Ausubel A1 - Emma Kenny A1 - Meredith Blake A1 - Christine Heckman A1 - Sonia Rastogi A1 - Vandana Sharma AB -

Objectives: To systematically document measurement approaches used in the monitoring and evaluation of gender-based violence (GBV) risk mitigation activities, categorise the types of available literature produced by sector, identify existing tools and measures and identify knowledge gaps within the humanitarian sector.

Design: Systematic mapping and in-depth review.

Data sources: Pubmed, Global Health, PsychInfo, ReliefWeb, OpenGrey (grey literature), Google Scholar, Web of Science (Social Science Index)

Eligibility criteria: a structured search strategy was systematically applied to 17 databases as well as registers, websites and other resources to identify materials published between 1 January 2005 and 15 May 2019.

Data extraction and synthesis: Those resources that met the inclusion criteria underwent a comprehensive full-text review. A detailed matrix was developed and key data from each resource were extracted to allow for the assessment of patterns in thematic areas.

Results: A total of 2108 documents were screened. Overall, 145 documents and 112 tools were reviewed, representing 10 different humanitarian sectors. While numerous resources exist, many lack sufficient information on how to monitor outputs or outcomes of GBV risk mitigation activities. There is also limited guidance on how to integrate the measurement of GBV risk mitigation into existing monitoring and evaluation frameworks. Those reports that aimed to measure GBV risk mitigation activities mostly employed qualitative methods and few measured the impact of a GBV risk mitigation with robust research designs.

Conclusions: Recent efforts to adapt humanitarian response to COVID-19 have highlighted new and existing challenges for GBV risk mitigation. There is a significant gap in the evidence base around the effectiveness of GBV risk mitigation across all sectors. Understanding and strengthening measurement approaches in GBV risk mitigation remains a critical task for humanitarian response.

UR - https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/9/e050887.full ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Climate and Migration in East and the Horn of Africa: Spatial Analysis of Migrants’ Flows Data Y1 - 2021 A1 - Erica Nelson A1 - Saira Khan AB -

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Regional Data Hub (RDH) for the East and Horn of Africa partnered with the Humanitarian Geoanalytics Program (HumGeo) at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) to analyze the complexities of and interactions between migration, conflict, environmental changes, and climate-related events in Yemen, and the East and Horn of Africa between 2018 and 2020.

This research aims to answer the following questions through a variety of geospatial analyses:

1) How did out-migration rates in any given administrative region change over time and, was it statistically significant compared to administrative regions around it?

2) How do the numbers of migrants and the overall migration trends vary across space and time, for each cited reason for migration (aka ‘driver of migration’)?

3) How do environmental variables, e.g. temperature and precipitation, correlate with outmigration in in the East and Horn of Africa?

This study provides new insights into out-migration patterns in the region, demonstrates a novel way to investigate changing reasons for out-migration using a variety of spatial analysis methods, and establishes a foundation for future studies to analyze the complex and evolving relationship between migration and climate change that will continue to intensify in the years to come.

ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Climate and Migration in East and the Horn of Africa: Spatial Analysis of Migrants’ Flows Data Y1 - 2021 A1 - Erica Nelson A1 - Saira Khan AB -

The drivers of human displacement are becoming more and more complex, ranging from conflict and persecution to the increasingly pertinent variables of heightened mobility and social media influences. Of rapidly but appropriately escalating concern is the impact of climate change. While the intensity and severity of climate-induced disasters and climate-related migration will be unevenly distributed across space and time, the World Bank estimates that approximately 140 million people will be displaced globally due to climate-related reasons by 2050. The effects of climate change are expected to be particularly pronounced in Africa, where rising temperatures, unpredictable anomalous rainfall and high vulnerability to extreme natural hazards will continue to exacerbate conflict and harm local and regional human, economic, and environmental security.

In the East and Horn of Africa (EHoA) in particular, the dependence on rain-fed agriculture and pastoralism means that livelihoods and food security are inextricably linked and affected by long-term or sudden environmental changes and natural hazards. The extreme natural hazards that have struck EHoA in recent years have caused widespread hunger, displacement, loss of critical infrastructure and livelihoods, and death

In an effort to understand the complex variables that influence migration, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) developed the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) to track and gather information about populations on the move. The Flow Monitoring Registry (FMR) captures a wealth of data about the migratory routes, the demographics and nationality of migrants, reasons for migration, modes of transportation used to facilitate movement, and vulnerabilities experienced by these populations. While the descriptive data provides a wealth of information, more can be done to analyze the complexities of and interactions between migration, conflict, environmental changes, and climate-related events. Climate projections further suggest that environmental changes will likely further lead to decreased water availability, lowered agricultural productivity, and increased disease transmission in the region, producing complex ramifications regarding local and regional conflicts, economics, politics, and migration.

The porous borders in EHoA have contributed to some of the highest volumes of cross border movement in the world. In 2020 alone, EHoA hosted 6.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 3.5 million refugees and asylum seekers.6 In the same year, the Horn of Africa experienced unusually high levels of precipitation leading to disastrous floods and landslides and creating ideal conditions for an detrimental locust plague towards the end of 2019 that devastated crops and disrupted livelihoods. The extreme precipitation experienced across much of the Horn in 2019 was preceded by anomalous rainfall the previous year. 2018 was particularly hot and dry in the Horn of Africa, with positive temperature anomalies of around 2°C and below-average precipitation contributing to drought-like conditions in Somalia, Eritrea, and Djibouti while Kenya and Sudan experienced above-average precipitation.8 The drought-like conditions in Somalia, Eritrea, and Djibouti contributed to widespread food insecurity that affected approximately 12 million people. These extreme weather conditions are increasingly exacerbating the already complex and interconnected factors driving migration in the Horn of Africa, and are only expected to escalate in the future.

For this study, the IOM RDH in Nairobi partnered with the Humanitarian Geoanalytics Program at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative to leverage spatial analytics to investigate migration flows in the East and Horn of Africa and Yemen. Geospatial analytics hold tremendous potential to introduce new ways of thinking, build research capacity, study impacts, and facilitate costeffective programming. The adoption of geospatial methods into research oriented towards populations on the move, gives us the capacity to accurately characterize the spatial heterogeneity of migrating populations. Furthermore, by incorporating environmental variables into this spatial analysis, we begin to reveal relationships previously undiscovered that could contribute to a richer understanding regarding migration in the region.

ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Gender-Based Violence and COVID-19 in Fragile Settings: A Syndemic Model Y1 - 2021 A1 - Luissa Vahedi A1 - Jessica Anania A1 - Jocelyn Kelly AB - The long-standing pandemic of gender-based violence has been worsened by COVID-19 and related containment measures, particularly in fragile settings marked by conflict, poverty, and weak infrastructure. At the same time, the implementation of gender-insensitive COVID-19 control policies can exacerbate the community transmission of COVID-19. These interactions form a syndemic—two or more pandemics whose interactions compound the severity of each. This report identifies the key avenues through which these two pandemics have synergistic effects and offers recommendations for mitigating their impact. UR - https://www.usip.org/publications/2021/08/gender-based-violence-and-covid-19-fragile-settings-syndemic-model ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Perspectives on the current state of Nigeria’s emergency care system among participants of an emergency medicine symposium: a qualitative appraisal JF - BMJ Open Y1 - 2021 A1 - Agnes Usoro A1 - Benjamin Aiwonodagbon A1 - Jonathan Strong A1 - Sean Kivlehan A1 - Babatunde A. Akodu A1 - Ayobami Olufadeji AB -

Emergency care systems provide timely and relevant care to the acutely ill and injured. Published commentaries have characterised deficiencies in the Nigerian emergency care system and offered potential solutions but have not included the perspectives of the Nigerian public. A more inclusive approach that includes feedback from the public may help improve the Nigerian emergency care system through better understanding of the needs, values and expectations of the community.

The participants in this study identified shortcomings and opportunities to improve prehospital care, hospital care and health system governance. The results of this study may help healthcare professionals, policy makers and community leaders identify gaps in the emergency care system and offer solutions in harmony with the needs, values and expectations of the community. If successful, these community-informed interventions may serve as a model to improve emergency care systems throughout Africa.

UR - https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/8/e043869.info ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Factors influencing utilization and perception of health care: a qualitative study among traumatized Yazidi refugees in Germany JF - BMC Psychiatry Y1 - 2021 A1 - Virginia M. Tran A1 - Laila Fozouni A1 - Jana K. Denkinger A1 - Caroline Rometsch A1 - Florian Junne A1 - Patrick Vinck A1 - Phuong Pham AB -

Background: Ensuring adequate utilization of healthcare services for displaced populations is critical, yet there are well-documented treatment gaps. Yazidi women captured by the Islamic State (IS) were subjected to extreme trauma and violence. This study aims to understand perceptions of healthcare providers and utilization of these services among women who experienced extreme trauma.

Methods: This is a qualitative study with voluntary participation offered to approximately 400 women resettled through the Special Quota Program. An empirical approach was used to collect data and a grounded theory approach was used for content analysis. Participants ranked their interactions with providers on a Likert scale. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were assessed using the impact of event scale-revised questionnaire.

Results: A total of 116 Yazidi women participated in this study. The women experienced an average of 6.8 months of captivity by IS and 93% met criteria for probable PTSD. Eighty-three percent of the women interacted with a physician; 80% found this interaction helpful. Sixty-nine percent interacted with psychologists; 61% found this interaction helpful. Six themes emerged: “reminders of trauma” and “hopelessness” in relation to the traumatic experience; “immediate relief” and “healing through pharmaceutical treatment” in relation to provider interventions, and “support” and “cultural differences” in relation to interactions with providers.

Conclusions: There exist major barriers to care for Yazidi women who experienced extreme trauma, particularly in regards to psychiatric care. Perceptions of healthcare providers and perceived effectiveness of therapy are critical factors that must be taken into consideration to improve healthcare utilization and outcomes.

UR - https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-021-03335-7 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Global Emergency Medicine: A Scoping Review of the Literature from 2020 JF - Academic Emergency Medicine: Official Journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Y1 - 2021 A1 - Indi Trehan A1 - Sean M. Kivlehan A1 - Kamna S. Balhara A1 - Joseph Bonney A1 - Braden J. Hexom A1 - Amelia Y. Pousson A1 - Nana Serwaa A. Quao A1 - Megan M. Rybarczyk A1 - Anand Selvam A1 - Benjamin D. Nicholson A1 - Nidhi Bhaskar A1 - Torben K. Becker A1 - Global Emergency Medicine Literature Review (GEMLR) Group AB -

Objective: To identify, screen, highlight, review, and summarize some of the most rigorously conducted and impactful original research and review articles in global emergency medicine (EM) published in 2020 in the peer-reviewed and gray literature.

Methods: A broad systematic search of peer-reviewed publications related to global EM indexed on PubMed and in the gray literature was conducted. The titles and abstracts of the articles on this list were screened by members of the Global Emergency Medicine Literature Review team to identify those that met our criteria of original research or review articles in the domains of Disaster and Humanitarian Response, Emergency Care in Resource-Limited Settings, and Emergency Medicine Development. Those articles that met these screening criteria were then scored using one of three scoring templates appropriate to the article type. Those articles that scored in the top 5% then underwent in-depth narrative summarization.

Results: The 2020 GEMLR search initially identified 35,970 articles, more than 50% more than last year’s search. From these, 364 were scored based on their full text. Nearly three-fourths of the scored articles constituted original research, of which nearly three-fourths employed quantitative research methods. Nearly 10% of the articles identified this year were directly related to COVID-19. Research involving Emergency Care in Resource-Limited Settings again constituted most of the articles in this year’s review, accounting for more than 60% of the literature scored. A total of 20 articles underwent in-depth narrative critiques.

Conclusions: The number of studies relevant to global EM identified by our search was very similar to last year. Revisions to our methodology to identify a broader range of research were successful in identifying more qualitative research and studies related to Disaster and Humanitarian Response. The number of COVID-19-related articles is likely to continue to increase in subsequent years.

UR - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/acem.14356 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Global Emergency Medicine: A Scoping Review of the Literature from 2020 JF - Academic Emergency Medicine: Official Journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Y1 - 2021 A1 - Indi Trehan A1 - Sean M. Kivlehan A1 - Kamna S. Balhara A1 - Joseph Bonney A1 - Braden J. Hexom A1 - Amelia Y. Pousson A1 - Nana Serwaa A. Quao A1 - Megan M. Rybarczyk A1 - Anand Selvam A1 - Benjamin D. Nicholson A1 - Nidhi Bhaskar A1 - Torben K. Becker A1 - Global Emergency Medicine Literature Review (GEMLR) Group AB -

Objective: To identify, screen, highlight, review, and summarize some of the most rigorously conducted and impactful original research and review articles in global emergency medicine (EM) published in 2020 in the peer-reviewed and gray literature.

Methods: A broad systematic search of peer-reviewed publications related to global EM indexed on PubMed and in the gray literature was conducted. The titles and abstracts of the articles on this list were screened by members of the Global Emergency Medicine Literature Review team to identify those that met our criteria of original research or review articles in the domains of Disaster and Humanitarian Response, Emergency Care in Resource-Limited Settings, and Emergency Medicine Development. Those articles that met these screening criteria were then scored using one of three scoring templates appropriate to the article type. Those articles that scored in the top 5% then underwent in-depth narrative summarization.

Results: The 2020 GEMLR search initially identified 35,970 articles, more than 50% more than last year’s search. From these, 364 were scored based on their full text. Nearly three-fourths of the scored articles constituted original research, of which nearly three-fourths employed quantitative research methods. Nearly 10% of the articles identified this year were directly related to COVID-19. Research involving Emergency Care in Resource-Limited Settings again constituted most of the articles in this year’s review, accounting for more than 60% of the literature scored. A total of 20 articles underwent in-depth narrative critiques.

Conclusions: The number of studies relevant to global EM identified by our search was very similar to last year. Revisions to our methodology to identify a broader range of research were successful in identifying more qualitative research and studies related to Disaster and Humanitarian Response. The number of COVID-19-related articles is likely to continue to increase in subsequent years.

UR - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/acem.14356 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - A review of peer-reviewed published research on corruption and disasters in the built environment JF - Disasters Y1 - 2021 A1 - David Sanderson A1 - Sonny S. Patel A1 - Martin Loosemore A1 - Anshu Sharma A1 - Kelsy Greenwald A1 - Ronak Patel AB -

This paper presents the findings of a review of academic literature concerning the degree to which corruption worsens naturally-triggered disasters in the built environment. The research employed a ‘systematic literature review’ methodology to analyse leading academic databases, resulting in a detailed analysis of 59 peer-reviewed, published papers. It was found that while much of the literature focuses on earthquakes (relating to building and infrastructure collapse), the quality of governance and the drivers of corruption, there is presently limited scholarship concerning the general scope, reach and scale of how disasters are worsened by corruption.

UR - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/disa.12500 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Mitigating trafficking of migrants and children through disaster risk reduction: Insights from the Thailand flood JF - International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction Y1 - 2021 A1 - Stoklosa, Hanni A1 - Courtney Julia Burns A1 - Abraar Karan A1 - Michelle Lyman A1 - Nathene Morley A1 - Reena Tadee A1 - Eric Goodwin AB -

Thailand's flood of 2011 was devastating for the communities and inhabitants of the country, affecting approximately 13 million people and causing damages totaling THB 1.43 trillion (46.5 billion USD). The presence of a natural hazards disaster such as this can magnify individuals' vulnerability to human trafficking, or mitigate it depending on the disaster risk reduction practices of the surrounding community. The Sendai Framework is the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction's international framework for these situations, outlining targets and priorities for action to reduce negative outcomes, such as trafficking, from natural events. This study aimed to understand how a disaster risk reduction and preparedness lens, based on the Sendai Framework, in the context of the humanitarian response to this 2011 flood, could inform human trafficking prevention efforts for future disasters. Qualitative methodology, utilizing a content analysis approach, was employed. It was found that migrant workers and children were at the greatest risk for trafficking, and resiliency efforts by communities and families, in conjunction with coordinated initiatives by NGOs and the government, were essential in preserving individuals' well-being. Further, the Sendai Framework is a promising tool to address these areas of disaster response in which the windows of opportunity for traffickers can be closed and those at high trafficking risk can be protected. As disasters continue to occur, there remains a strong need to bring forth a more systematic disaster risk reduction and resilience-enhancing approach to trafficking prevention.

UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221242092100234X?via%3Dihub ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Global Health Cluster Position on COVID-19 Vaccination in Humanitarian Settings Y1 - 2021 A1 - Global Health Cluster COVID-19 Task Team ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Humanitarian Training with Virtual Simulation during a Pandemic JF - Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness Y1 - 2021 A1 - Sean M. Kivlehan A1 - Kathryne Tenney A1 - Samuel Plasmati A1 - Vincenzo Bollettino A1 - Katie Farineau A1 - Eric J. Nilles A1 - Greg Gottlieb A1 - Stephanie R. Kayden AB -

There is an ongoing and established need for humanitarian training and professionalization. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted training programs designed to accomplish this goal, including the Humanitarian Response Intensive Course, which includes a three-day immersive simulation to prepare humanitarian workers for future field work. To provide program continuity, the three day simulation was quickly adapted to a virtual format using a combination of video conferencing, short messaging service, and cloud-based file storage software. Participants were geographically dispersed and participated virtually. Learning objectives were preserved while some components not amenable to a virtual format were removed.

A virtual humanitarian training simulation is a feasible, acceptable, and affordable alternative to an in-person simulation. Participants were engaged and experienced minimal technological disruptions. The majority of students felt the format met or exceeded expectations. However, feedback also emphasized the importance of providing sufficient time for team collaboration and deliverable preparation in the simulation schedule. The virtual format was more affordable than the traditional in-person simulation and diverse expert faculty who could not have attended in-person were able to participate. This format could be used to overcome other barriers to in-person simulation training, including geographic, financial, time, or security.

UR - https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/disaster-medicine-and-public-health-preparedness/article/humanitarian-training-with-virtual-simulation-during-a-pandemic/977DBDD4B7129EEB36ABFB0AF2E9BBF4/share/d93aa88a96072ddfc2bfb523cd36d149195c029c ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Longitudinal Changes in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder After Resettlement Among Yazidi Female Refugees Exposed to Violence JF - JAMA Network Open Y1 - 2021 A1 - Jana Katharina Denkinger A1 - Caroline Rometsch A1 - Martha Engelhardt A1 - Petra Windthorst A1 - Johanna Graf A1 - Phuong Pham A1 - Niamh Gibbons A1 - Stephan Zipfel A1 - Florian Junne AB -

Importance: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent among refugees surviving mass atrocities, especially among women. Longitudinal studies investigating factors associated with PTSD course are essential to enable adequate treatment yet widely lacking.

Objective: To identify longitudinal changes in PTSD severity and posttraumatic coping among severely traumatized female refugees as well as risk and protective factors for PTSD course.

Design, Setting, and Participants: This prospective cohort study took place in 14 German cities in the context of a humanitarian admission program that resettled 1000 especially vulnerable women and children from northern Iraq to Germany. Approximately 400 adult beneficiaries of the humanitarian admission program were eligible for the study. At baseline, a total of 116 of the 400 beneficiaries (29.0%) participated, with 96 (82.8%) of these women participating in the follow-up assessment. The study included a baseline assessment conducted 2 years after resettlement (September 1, 2017, to January 12, 2018) and a 1-year follow-up (August 29, 2018, to January 15, 2019).

Exposures: Violence and/or captivity during the 2014 genocide in northern Iraq by the so-called Islamic State.

Main Outcomes and Measures: Posttraumatic stress disorder severity and coping strategies were assessed in interpreter-aided interviews using the Impact of Event Scale–Revised.

Results: A total of 116 women (mean [SD] age, 32.2 [8.2] years; 115 [99.1%] Yazidi; 1 [0.9%] Christian) participated at baseline. According to the Impact of Event Scale–Revised, a high PTSD severity was found (mean [SD] raw sum score, 60.88 [15.75] of 88, with higher scores indicating greater distress), with no significant change over time. Helpful coping strategies included prayer, belief in collective strength, and belief in personal strength. Earlier symptoms of intrusions (β = 0.389, P = .007) and longer captivity (β = 0.218, P = .02) were identified as being associated with PTSD severity 1 year later. Longer captivity was associated with PTSD aggravation over time (β = 0.227, P = .04). Posttraumatic strengthening in faith (β = −0.206, P = .05) and in social relationships (β = −0.221, P = .03) were associated with a reduction in PTSD symptoms.

Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that female refugee survivors of genocide are at high risk for severe and chronic PTSD beyond the initial years of resettlement. The findings provide suggestions for mental health care specialized for particularly vulnerable populations.

ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Association between distress and displacement settings: a cross-sectional survey among displaced Yazidis in northern Iraq JF -  BMC Public Health Y1 - 2021 A1 - Pham, P.N. A1 - Fozouni, L. A1 - al-Saiedi AB -

Background
Globally 70.8 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes and are at disproportionally high risk for trauma. At the time of this study, there was an estimated 1.6 million internally displaced persons (IDP) in Iraq, more than two-thirds of whom reside in private, urban settings. This study aims to understand the impact of post-displacement accommodation on mental well-being of the Yazidi minority group displaced in Iraq.

Methods
Multi-stage stratified sampling was used to randomly select IDPs in camp and out of camp settlements in northern Iraq. Standardized questionnaires evaluated factors including exposure to violence and self-reported distress symptoms (measured by Impact of Event Scale-Revised). A multi-variate linear model assessed the relationship between settlement setting and distress symptoms.

Results
One thousand two hundred fifty-six displaced Yazidi participants were included in the study: 63% in camps and 37% out of camps. After controlling for exposure to violence, social cohesion, unemployment, and access to basic services, IDPs in camps were predicted to have a 19% higher mean distress symptom score compared to those out of camps.

Conclusions
This study provides a framework to investigate post-displacement accommodation as a potential intervention to improve well-being for displaced populations. With a shift towards new models of emergency and long-term housing, it is important to understand the potential and limitations of more decentralized models, and identify effective methods to maintain access to basic services while improving living conditions for both displaced populations and their host communities.

VL - 21 UR - https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-10734-8#citeas IS - 679 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Delivering the promise of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in fragile and conflict-affected contexts (FCAC): A case study of the NGO GOAL's response to the Syria conflict JF - Progress in Disaster Science Y1 - 2021 A1 - Sonny S. Patel A1 - Bernard McCaul A1 - Gabriela Cáceres A1 - Laura E.R. Peters A1 - Ronak Patel A1 - Aaron Clark-Ginsberg AB -

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) has helped to reduce global disaster risk, but there has been a lack of progress in disaster risk reduction (DRR) for people living in fragile and conflict affected contexts (FCAC). Given the mounting evidence that DRR cannot be implemented through conventional approaches in FCAC, serious efforts must be made to understand how to meet SFDRR's goals. This paper offers a case study of international non-governmental organization GOAL's programming that responds to the protracted crisis in Syria, with a critical discussion on SFDRR and how to adapt humanitarian relief and disaster resilience.

UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590061721000326?via%3Dihub#! ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Window of Hope: Sustaining education of health professionals in northwest Syria Y1 - 2021 A1 - Adrienne Fricke A1 - Rahaf Safi AB - This report is based on a comprehensive needs assessment carried out remotely by the HHI team in Syria in 2019. The OSF HESP grant was awarded to a larger project to understand the impact of humanitarian emergencies, including armed conflict, on students enrolled in medical and nursing programs. The goal is to produce a needs assessment toolkit to help support professional health care education programs during conflict. In addition to Syria, where the conflict is ongoing, the project examines Colombia, a recent post-conflict setting, and Rwanda, a developed post-conflict setting. ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Current Perspectives and Concerns Facing Hospital Evacuation: The Results of a Pilot Study and Literature Review JF - Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness Y1 - 2021 A1 - Amir Khorram-Manesh A1 - Phatthranit Phattharapornjaroen A1 - Luc J Mortelmans A1 - Frederick M. Burkle Jr. AB -

Objective: To analyze the evacuation preparedness of hospitals within the European Union (EU).

Method: This study consisted of 2 steps. In the first step, a systematic review of the subject matter, according to the PRISMA flow diagram, was performed. Using Scopus (Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands), PubMed (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD), and Gothenburg University´s search engine, 11 questions were extracted from the review and were sent to representatives from 15 European Union (EU)- and non-EU countries.

Results: The findings indicate that there is neither a full preparedness nor a standard guideline for evacuation within the EU or other non-EU countries in this study. A major shortcoming revealed by this study is the lack of awareness of the untoward consequences of medical decision-making during an evacuation. Some countries did not respond to the questions due to the lack of relevant guidelines, instructions, or time.

Conclusion: Hospitals are exposed to internal and external incidents and require an adequate evacuation plan. Despite many publications, reports, and conclusions on successful and unsuccessful evacuation, there is still no common guide for evacuation, and many hospitals lack the proper preparedness. There is a need for a multinational collaboration, specifically within the EU, to establish such an evacuation planning or guideline to be used mutually within the union and the international community.

UR - https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/disaster-medicine-and-public-health-preparedness/article/current-perspectives-and-concerns-facing-hospital-evacuation-the-results-of-a-pilot-study-and-literature-review/12DD82B1E86165CF2BF5414BFBCD9E62 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Cohort research analysis of disaster experience, preparedness, and competency-based training among nurses JF - PLoS ONE Y1 - 2021 A1 - Krzysztof Goniewicz A1 - Mariusz Goniewicz A1 - Frederick M. Burkle Jr. A1 - Amir Khorram-Manesh AB -

Introduction: It is expected that in unforeseen situations, nurses will provide appropriate medical interventions, using their expertise and skills to reduce the risks associated with the consequences of disasters. Consequently, it is crucial that they are properly prepared to respond to such difficult circumstances. This study aimed to identify the factors influencing the basic competences of nurses in disasters.

Materials and methods: The survey was directed to 468 nurses from all medical centres in Lublin. IBM SPSS Statistics version 23 was used for statistical analyses, frequency analysis, basic descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis. The classical statistical significance level was adopted as α = 0.05.

Results: Based on the logistic regression analysis, it was found that work experience, workplace preparedness, as well as training and experience in disaster response are important predictors of preparedness.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that the nurses' core competencies for these incidents can be improved through education and training programmes which increase their preparedness for disasters. Nurses are among the most important groups of healthcare professionals facing a disaster and should be involved in all phases of disaster management, such as risk assessment and pre-disaster planning, response during crisis situations and risks’ mitigation throughout the reconstruction period.

UR - https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0244488 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - The importance of pre-training gap analyses and the identification of competencies and skill requirements of medical personnel for mass casualty incidents and disaster training JF - BMC Public Health Y1 - 2021 A1 - Krzysztof Goniewicz A1 - Mariusz Goniewicz A1 - Anna Włoszczak-Szubzda A1 - Frederick M. Burkle Jr. A1 - Attila J. Hertelendy A1 - Ahmed Al-Wathinani A1 - Michael Sean Molloy A1 - Amir Khorram-Manesh AB -

Background: Effective preparedness to respond to mass casualty incidents and disasters requires a well-planned and integrated effort by all involved professionals, particularly those who are working in healthcare, who are equipped with unique knowledge and skills for emergencies. This study aims to investigate and evaluate the level of knowledge and skills related to mass casualty and disaster management in a cohort of healthcare professionals.

Methods: A cross-sectional brief study was conducted using a validated and anonymous questionnaire, with a sample of 134 employees at a clinical hospital in Lublin, Poland.

Results: The findings of this study may indicate a need for standardization of training for hospitals employees. It also suggests a knowledge gap between different professional groups, which calls for adjusting such general training, to at least, the weakest group, while special tasks and mission can be given to other groups within the training occasion.

Conclusion: Pre-Training gap analyses and identification of participants’ competencies and skills should be conducted prior to training in mass casualty incidents and disasters. Such analyses provides an opportunity to develop training curriculum at various skill and knowledge levels from basic to advance. All training in mass casualty incidents and disasters should be subject to ongoing, not just periodic, evaluation, in order to assess continued competency.

ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Unrecognized risks and challenges of water as a major focus of COVID-19 spread JF - Journal of Global Health Y1 - 2021 A1 - Amir Khorram-Manesh A1 - Krzysztof Goniewicz A1 - Frederick M. Burkle Jr. AB -

The unpredictable emergence of Coronavirus 2019 has proven to be challenging for many countries and their preparedness systems. In the heat of the current pandemic, initial interventions have been directed to the medical component of pandemic management, while other parameters such as tracing, retaining, and controlling the infection have been dismantled. It must be remembered that a defective water management system for drinking or personal use cannot only worsen the medical management of an emergency but can also contribute to spreading the disease or other water-borne conditions. This report highlights the significant use of water as a necessity for life and for controlling the pandemic.

UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7898659/ ER - TY - JOUR T1 - The impact of COVID‐19 on statewide EMS use for cardiac emergencies and stroke in Massachusetts JF - JACEP Open Y1 - 2021 A1 - Scott A. Goldberg A1 - Rebecca E. Cash A1 - Gregory Peters A1 - Scott G.Weiner A1 - P. Gregg Greenough A1 - Raghu Seethala AB -

Objective

To evaluate the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) on emergency medical services (EMS) use for time‐sensitive medical conditions. We examined EMS use for cardiac arrest, stroke, and other cardiac emergencies across Massachusetts during the peak of the COVID‐19 pandemic, evaluating their relationship to statewide COVID‐19 incidence and a statewide emergency declaration.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of all EMS calls between February 15 and May 15, 2020 and the same time period for 2019. EMS call volumes were compared before and after March 10, the date of a statewide emergency declaration.

Results

A total of 408,758 calls were analyzed, of which 49,405 (12.1%) represented stroke, cardiac arrest, or other cardiac emergencies. Average call volume before March 10 was similar in both years but decreased significantly after March 10, 2020 by 18.7% (P < 0.001). Compared to 2019, there were 35.6% fewer calls for cardiac emergencies after March 10, 2020 (153.6 vs 238.4 calls/day, P < 0.001) and 12.3% fewer calls for stroke (40.0 vs 45.6 calls/day, P = 0.04). Calls for cardiac arrest increased 18.2% (28.6 vs 24.2 calls/day, P < 0.001). Calls for respiratory concerns also increased (208.8 vs 199.7 calls/day, P < 0.001). There was no significant association between statewide incidence of COVID‐19 and EMS call volume.

Conclusions

EMS use for certain time‐sensitive conditions decreased after a statewide emergency declaration, irrespective of actual COVID‐19 incidence, suggesting the decrease was related to perception instead of actual case counts. These findings have implications for public health messaging. Measures must be taken to clearly inform the public that immediate emergency care for time‐sensitive conditions remains imperative.

UR - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/emp2.12351 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Converging Impact of the Ongoing Conflict and COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in Ukraine JF - Journal of Emergency Management Y1 - 2021 A1 - Sonny S. Patel A1 - Oleksii Sukhovii A1 - Oleksandr Zvinchuk A1 - Julian H. Neylan A1 - Erickson, Timothy AB -

Since the Russian annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the subsequent occupation of parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Ukraine has been facing increasing security and healthcare challenges. The seven-year war in East Ukraine has led to a rise in substance and alcohol use and increasing addiction rates among veterans, internally displaced persons, and civilian survivors. This article examines the combined impact of the ongoing Russo–Ukrainian conflict and COVID-19 pandemic on substance use in Ukraine. It also gives an overview of the institutions in place to monitor and improve mental health in the country. The article highlights the urgent need for further funding and research on substance and alcohol addiction, with vulnerable populations affected by the conflict during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontline healthcare workers in this region should anticipate an increased burden of patients suffering from substance use disorders who are in need of emergency management intervention and proper behavioral health referrals.

UR - https://wmpllc.org/ojs/index.php/jem/article/view/2959 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - In Reply to "Hydroxychloroquine Overdose: What Are the Exact Roles of Diazepam and Potassium Infusion?" JF - J Med Toxicol Y1 - 2021 A1 - Chai, P R A1 - Ferro, E G A1 - Kirshenbaum, J M A1 - Hayes, B D A1 - Culbreth, S E A1 - Boyer, E W A1 - Erickson, T B KW - COVID-19 KW - Diazepam KW - Drug Overdose KW - Humans KW - Hydroxychloroquine KW - Pandemics KW - Potassium KW - SARS-CoV-2 VL - 17 IS - 1 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32926301?dopt=Abstract ER -