ARQ Centre of Expertise Impact

English

How do international humanitarian aid workers stay healthy in the face of adversity?

Background
International humanitarian aid workers (iHAWs) are motivated strongly to travel abroad to help communities affected by war, famine, disaster and disease. They expose themselves to dangers and hardships during their field assignments. Despite working under such challenging circumstances, most workers remain healthy. The objective of the present study was to unravel the mechanism that enables workers to remain healthy under the same circumstances that affect these communities. We hypothesised that the different components

Assessing psychological resilience: translation and validation of the Chinese version of the resilience evaluation scale (RES)

Background
The Resilience Evaluation Scale (RES) is a novel and freely available measure of psychological resilience (factored into self-confidence and self-efficacy). To date, psychometric properties were evaluated in Dutch and American samples, but not yet in a Chinese sample.

 

Objective
We aimed to validate the RES in a Chinese sample by examining its factor structure, reliability, and construct validity.

 

The impact of a terrorist attack : Survivors’ health, functioning and need for support following the 2019 Utrecht tram shooting 6 and 18 months post-attack

Background: Extremely violent events such as terrorist attacks and mass shootings form a severe risk for the health and wellbeing of affected individuals. In this study based on a public health monitor, we focus on the health impact (including PTSD symptoms, physical problems and day-to-day functioning) of the Utrecht tram shooting, which took place in the morning of March 18th 2019. A lone gunman opened fire on passengers within a moving tram. Four people died, and six people were injured in this attack.

Facilitating the transition home after military deployment : a systematic literature review of post-deployment adaptation programmes

Background: Many countries pay special attention to the transition of their military personnel from deployment to home via post-deployment adaptation programmes (PDAPs).

 

Objective: This systematic review aims to provide a structured analysis of structure, process, and outcomes based on available empirical evidence for PDAPs.

 

Remote training as a common tool for the different professionals involved in the acute phase after terror attacks across Europe : Perspectives from an expert panel

The acute response after a terror attack may have a crucial impact on the physical and psychological wellbeing of the victims. Preparedness of the professionals involved in the acute response is a key element to ensure effective interventions, and can be improved through trainings. Today in Europe there is a recognized lack of inter-professional and international trainings, which are important, among others, to respond to the needs and the rights of victims affected by a terrorist attack in another country than their home country.

Spontaneous brain activity, graph metrics, and head motion related to prospective post-traumatic stress disorder trauma-focused therapy response

Introduction: Trauma-focused psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is effective in about half of all patients. Investigating biological systems related to prospective treatment response is important to gain insight in mechanisms predisposing patients for successful intervention. We studied if spontaneous brain activity, brain network characteristics and head motion during the resting state are associated with future treatment success.

 

Vulnerability and One Health assessment approaches for infectious threats from a social science perspective : a systematic scoping review

Vulnerability assessments identify vulnerable groups and can promote effective community engagement in responding to and mitigating destabilising events. This scoping review maps assessments for local-level vulnerabilities in the context of infectious threats. We searched various databases for articles written between 1978 and 2019. Eligible documents assessed local-level vulnerability, focusing on infectious threats and antimicrobial resistance.

Online One-Stop Shop for Disaster Response Services After the MH17 Airplane Crash : An Evaluation Study

Background: A one-stop shop for disaster response services provides a central location for information and advice in an accessible way. Yet little is known about its organization and outcomes. After the MH17 airplane crash, the one-stop shop concept was realized through a digital environment called the Information and Referral Center (IRC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the experiences of users and providers in regard to the IRC and to identify improvement points for future IRCs.

 

Psychosocial care responses to terrorist attacks : a country case study of Norway, France and Belgium

Background
The international terrorism threat urges societies to invest in the planning and organization of psychosocial care. With the aim to contribute to cross-national learning, this study describes the content, target populations and providers of psychosocial care to civilians after terrorist attacks in Norway, France and Belgium.

Appraising Evidence-Based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Guidelines — PART I : A Systematic Review on Methodological Quality Using AGREE-HS

Abstract: In 2007, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) published its guidelines for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in emergency situations. This was one of the first sets of MHPSS guidelines, developed during the last decades, to aid policymakers and practitioners in the planning and implementation of disaster mental health risk reduction activities. However, the potential merit of MHPSS guidelines for this purpose is poorly understood.

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