New targets for behaviour change in Ebola outbreaks : Ideas for future interventions

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is an infectious disease with serious individual health and population consequences. While Ebola is extremely contagious, the 2014 outbreak in West Africa was the worst to date. Many strategies were implemented for the containment and treatment of the disease, although some were limited by a lack of focus on social and behavioural factors. These factors must be taken into consideration during intervention development at the levels of individuals, communities and international networks to address issues that could block intervention success.

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Integrating psychosocial support at Ebola treatment units in Sierra Leone and Liberia

The Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic killed almost 12,000 people across Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, causing significant psychological distress and suffering. This paper describes International Medical Corps’ innovative and comprehensive model for integrating mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) considerations and activities into Ebola treatment units (ETUs) across Sierra Leone and Liberia. This includes staff capacity building as well as psychosocial considerations and activities to address needs and challenges at the ETUs.

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Prevalence of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder in adult civilian survivors of war who stay in war-afflicted regions : A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies

 

Background: Epidemiological surveys on depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among civilian war survivors in war-afflicted regions have produced heterogeneous prevalence estimates of these conditions.

 

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Internet-based behavioural activation with lay counsellor support versus online minimal psychoeducation without support for treatment of depression : a randomised controlled trial in Indonesia

Summary

 

Background

Depression is one of the leading contributors to the global burden of disease. However, treatment availability is often very poor in low-income and middle-income countries. In a randomised clinical trial, we investigated the efficacy of internet-based behavioural activation with lay counsellor support compared with online minimal psychoeducation without support for depression in Indonesia (a middle-income country).

 

Methods

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The impact of war and economic sanctions on the mental health system in Iraq from 1990 to 2003 : a preliminary report

This paper explores the effects of war in Iraq in the period between 1991 and 2003, with a focus on the effect of economic sanctions on mental health services. The authors, Iraqi psychiatrists with direct contact with patients and events during this period, review literature and reports published contemporaneously. They describe how the mental health system in Iraq was deteriorated, not only by war, but also by United Nations imposed sanctions during the period between the first and second Iraq war.

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Operational and ethical challenges of applied psychosocial research in humanitarian emergency settings : a case study

Interventions on mental health and psychosocial wellbeing have been largely implemented in low and middle income countries. In order to adapt the support offered, an increasing number of applied research projects in mental health and psychosocial support have been conducted. However, while challenges arising can be related to the specificity of the mental health and psychosocial sector, within a broader perspective they are also strongly linked to difficulties of access to beneficiaries, security and protections issues, and competence of staff.

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Underrepresentation of men in gender based humanitarian and refugee trauma research : a scoping review

Sex and gender are important considerations within refugee studies. Risks to health and wellbeing may manifest differently for refugee women and men, as may the use of health and social services and responses to interventions. Since the 1980s, increased attention has been paid to the experience of girls and women in refugee and humanitarian research, however, much less attention has been paid to boys and men. The purpose of this systematic scoping review was to investigate whether there is a gender bias in refugee and humanitarian research on refugee trauma.

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Marital conflict in the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda : an explorative study within the context of community based sociotherapy

This article explores the ongoing impact of the genocide in Rwanda on marital relationships. Its specific focus are genocide related factors that generate relational trauma and the consequences of this trauma for the everyday lives of spouses affected by it. The qualitative study that informs this article was conducted within the context of a community based sociotherapy programme.

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Support groups for mothers of children with a handicap : a quantitative and qualitative study

Abstract

Background

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Refugee youth, unemployment and extremism : countering the myth

Refugee youth unemployment has been linked to increased risk of extremism and/or exploitation. Research indicates, however, that unemployment is just one of many factors triggering frustration among young refugees.

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