Post-disaster social work research: A scoping review of the evidence for practice

Abstract

The aim of this study was to understand the extent, range and nature of social work research activity after natural disasters and to identify the implications for future research and practice. A Scoping review methodology framework was used search of three databases: Web of Science, ProQuest and Informit was conducted to identify relevant studies between 2000 and 2018. Selection of studies was based on empirical research about social work and natural disasters and/or authored by social workers. Study selection found a total of 38 relevant articles. Charting the data was conducted and the following areas of focus were summarised: (1) interventions relating to psychosocial care, aid work and community work; (2) the effects of disasters on people and mediators of these effects; (3) social work education and challenges in disaster relief; and (4) measuring mental health outcomes of people who have experienced a disaster event. This scoping review has established that there is a range of social work literature focused on natural disasters that primarily examines social work interventions, the effects of disasters and social work education. Future social work research and practice needs to focus on the types and timing of interventions that promote positive recovery following natural disasters.

Australian Social Work Academics Respond to International Students in Crisis During COVID-19

“…The social work profession has a strong role to play in disaster response in identifying and responding to community, social and psychological needs (Harms et al, 2020). The importance of social work knowledge to pandemic response is further emphasised given the uncertain and ongoing nature of a pandemic caused by a novel virus because it creates new conditions and vulnerabilities and possibly has even longer and globally significant impacts than other types of disasters.…”

Intervención social en desastres socionaturales: análisis desde estudiantes de trabajo social de Coquimbo y Atacama en Chile y los desafíos para la eco-formación disciplinar

“…Un análisis sistemático realizado por Harms et al (2020), identificó el alcance y la naturaleza de la actividad de investigación del TS en contexto de DSN, sus implicaciones y prácticas futuras. A través de las bases de datos Web of Science, ProQuest e Informit, identificaron 38 artículos que, entre 2000 y 2018, abordan principalmente cuestiones como: 1) Intervenciones sociales en desastres, principalmente atención social, terapias psicosociales y ayuda.…”

“Without social there is no health”: Social work perspectives in multidisciplinary healthcare

“…Focusing on the complex and difficult work conditions social workers faced during pandemic, an interesting line of research was that which revisited existing studies on social work in disasters and emergencies, reworking them by considering the specific (and absolutely new) case of a global pandemic (Harms et al, 2020 ; Biddle et al, 2021 ; Borenstein et al, 2021 ). The extraordinariness of the situation reflected on which strategies and methodologies were most effective; the results of more than one research converged on highlighting the importance of modifying social work job demands in disaster work, by learning from case examples of earlier disasters to prepare guidelines/recommendations for such events.…”