Health trajectories of international humanitarian aid workers : growth mixture modelling findings from a prospective cohort study

Background
Most staff stay healthy during humanitarian work, although some worsen. Mean scores on health indicators may be masking individual participants struggling with health issues.

 

Aims

To investigate different field assignment-related health trajectories among international humanitarian aid workers (iHAWs) and explore the mechanisms used to stay healthy.

 

Method

Growth mixture modelling analyses for five health indicators using pre-/post-assignment and follow-up data.

 

Task-sharing psychosocial interventions for the prevention of common mental disorders in the perinatal period in low- and middle-income countries : A systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim:
to assess the efficacy of psychosocial interventions delivered through task-sharing approaches for preventing perinatal common mental disorders among women in low- and middle-income countries.

 

The relationship between tonic immobility and the development, severity, and course of posttraumatic stress disorder : Systematic and meta-analytic literature review

Background: Tonic immobility (TI) is a reflexive, involuntary response that causes motor inhibition, vocal suppression, and analgesia. TI is elicited by extreme fear and perception of entrapment in a life-threatening situation. Research suggests that TI is a frequent peritraumatic response and may be related to subsequent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, findings are mixed and, as of yet, no systematic or meta-analytic review examining associations between TI and PTSD has been published.

 

The mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and exposure to other potentially traumatic events up to old age

We investigated whether the impact of potentially traumatic events (PTEs) on trauma-related symptoms changes across the transitional adult lifespan (i.e., 16–100 years old) and if this association differs for self-reported COVID-19–related PTEs compared to other PTEs. A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 7,034 participants from 88 countries between late April and October 2020. Participants completed the Global Psychotrauma Screen (GPS), a self-report questionnaire assessing trauma-related symptoms.

Depression among Turkish and Moroccan immigrant populations in Northwestern Europe : a systematic review of prevalence and correlates

Background: This systematic review aimed to synthesize the prevalence and correlates of depressive disorders and symptoms of Turkish and Moroccan immigrant populations in Northwestern Europe, formulating evidence-informed recommendations for clinical practice.

Disaster Mental Health Risk Reduction : Appraising Disaster Mental Health Research as If Risk Mattered

The globally increasing frequency, intensity, and complexity of extreme climatic events and disasters poses significant challenges for the future health and wellbeing of affected populations around the world [1,2]. Mental health problems in the general population, which still too often go un-attended or untreated in many countries [3], are known to be further elevated among those exposed to extreme climatic events and disasters [4,5]. 

 

Workshops on Trauma and Loss, Coping and Resilience, to Support Afghani Refugee Women Living in Limbo in Greece

These joint reflections are from Jane, who designed and delivered the workshops for Afghani refugee women, and Khatera, one of the participants, who supported and helped with communication in advance and throughout. They describe the main elements of the workshops and their impact. The workshops acknowledged the enormous losses and traumas the women had experienced, but also looked at ways of keeping hope alive and the importance of recognising and building on the strengths and resilience the women already had. The workshops were organised by the International Bar Association, UK.

Us and Us : Reflections of the Wellbeing of Church-based Volunteers Working with Refugees and Asylum-seekers, Edinburgh, Scotland

Over the past 5 years, Scotland has seen numbers of refugees and asylum-seekers increase significantly. Churches and other faith-based organisations have been key players in aiding with the reception and integration of these “New Scots”. Although many volunteers characterise their experiences as positive, there have also been unique challenges presented for their mental health and emotional wellbeing as they navigate complex relationships and stories of hardship.

How Process Matters in Strengthening MHPSS : A Reflection

In developing the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings, attention to social process was key for success. In retrospect, humility was crucial for reflecting on one’s own dogmas, opening up to different points of view and avoiding ideological fixity and unproductive debates. Inclusivity was the key for enabling learning from diverse perspectives and areas of expertise, drawing on understandings from different countries and developing richly contextual approaches.

A Brief Reflection on Paper Titled “Mental Health Training of Primary Health Care Workers : Case Reports from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Jordan”

Reading the paper more than a decade after publishing it in the journal Intervention in 2011 brought back memories of the fieldwork done in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Jordan. The objective of this paper was to share the lessons learnt about the integration of mental health into primary healthcare in three settings. I remember that already in 2011, I shared the paper with all the relevant stakeholders whom I mentioned in the acknowledgement section of the paper. The feedback from all of them who responded was generally positive.

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