The Resiliency of Humanitarian Aid Workers in Disasters: A Qualitative Study in an Iranian Context

Ghodsi, Hasan; Jazani, Reza Khani; Sohrabizadeh, Sanaz; Kavousi, Amir

doi:10.5812/ircmj.80366

Cited by 9 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Lack of these aspects accompanied with reduced perception of support and greater psycho-morbidity among humanitarian workers (Brooks et al, 2016;Hearns & Deeny, 2007;Thormar et al, 2013). POS can also be enhanced through involving volunteers in the decision-making process; promoting transparency and accountability within organizations, where volunteers can easily express their concerns and challenges; and building team spirit, where volunteers can receive social support from their peers (Ager et al, 2012;Ghodsi, Jazani, Sohrabizadeh, & Kavousi, 2019;Lopes Cardozo et al, 2013;Nencini, Romaioli, & Meneghini, 2016;Waikayi, Fearon, Morris, & McLaughlin, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Caring for the mental health of humanitarian volunteers in traumatic contexts: the importance of organisational support

Aldamman

Tamrakar

Dinesen³

et al. 2019

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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Background: Humanitarian workers operate in traumatic contexts, putting them at an increased risk of adverse mental health outcomes. The quality of the support they receive from their organization, their supervisor, and team members are proposed as determinants of mental illness and well-being, via the stress-appraisal process. Objective: Grounded in organizational support theory, we sought to understand the relationship between organizational factors, including perceived organizational support, supervisor support, and team support, and indicators of both adverse mental health and mental well-being among humanitarian volunteers. This relationship is hypothesized to be mediated by the perceived psychological stress. Methods: A sample of 409 humanitarian volunteers from the Sudanese Red Crescent Society completed an online, anonymous, survey comprised of the Perceived Supervision, Perceived Organizational Support, Team Support, and Perceived Psychological Stress scales, as well as the Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Patient Health Questionnaire scales, (GAD-7 and PHQ-8), and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. Study objectives were tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) procedures. Results: Perceived helplessness (PH) and perceived self-efficacy (PSE), as measures of psychological stress, were both found to fully mediate the relationship between perceived organizational support and mental health outcomes. Perceived organizational support was associated with PSE and inversely with PH. PH was associated with adverse mental health and inversely related to mental well-being. PSE was only associated with mental well-being. Perceived supervision was negatively associated with PSE. Conclusions: Perceived organizational support is a key determinant of the mental health of humanitarian volunteers, with greater perceived support associated with lower distress symptomology and greater mental well-being. Humanitarian agencies should take actions to improve their internal organization support systems to mitigate the stress associated with working in traumatic contexts. Specifically, more attention should be paid to the organizational support of the volunteers as front-line workers in humanitarian settings. Cuidando la salud mental de los voluntarios humanitarios en contextos traumáticos: La importancia del apoyo organizacional Antecedentes: Los trabajadores humanitarios operan en contextos traumáticos, lo que los pone en un mayor riesgo de resultados adversos para la salud mental. La calidad del apoyo que reciben de su organización, su supervisor, y los miembros del equipo han sido propuestos como determinantes importantes de las enfermedades mentales y el bienestar, a través del proceso de evaluación del estrés. Objetivo: Basados en la teoría del apoyo organizacional, buscamos comprender la relación entre los factores organizacionales, incluyendo el apoyo organizacional percibido, el apoyo del supervisor, y el apoyo del equipo, y los indicadores de salud mental adversa y bienestar mental entre los volunta...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Caring for the mental health of humanitarian volunteers in traumatic contexts: the importance of organisational support

Aldamman

Tamrakar

Dinesen³

et al. 2019

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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“…In addition, providing security in the affected areas is considered as one of the main problems reported by some participants [41,42]. Further, insecurity brings challenges for humanitarian organizations and puts the distributors of aids and people at risk [43].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges and barriers of humanitarian aid management in 2017 Kermanshah earthquake: a qualitative study

et al. 2020

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Background: Examining various problems after disasters is important for the affected people. Managing humanitarian aid and donations among the affected people is considered as one of the most important problems after disasters. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the challenges and barriers of humanitarian aid management in 2017 Kermanshah Earthquake. Methods: This study was conducted from November 2017 to January 2018, with qualitative case study design. The population included 21 people including 6 humanitarian aid manager, 6 volunteers, 4 aid workers, and 5 affected people. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and purposeful sampling, which continued until saturating the data. The strategies recommended by Guba were used for evaluating the trustworthiness of the data. The data was analyzed with conventional content analysis method according to method suggested by Graneheim and Lundman. Results: Based on the results, two themes, nine categories, and 19 sub-categories were identified considering the challenges and barriers of humanitarian aid and donors' management during the 2017 Kermanshah Earthquake. The categories included education, command and coordination, communication and information, rules, security, traffic and overcrowding, assessment, providing system, and cultural setting. Also, two themes including managerial and structural barriers were extracted. Conclusion: Adopting an effective management and appropriate policies with respect to humanitarian aid and modifying structural and managerial barriers can improve the performance and management of humanitarian aid.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges and barriers of Humanitarian Aid Management in 2017 Kermanshah Earthquake: A Qualitative Study

Safarpour

Fooladlou

Safi-Keykaleh

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background: Examining various problems after disasters is important for the affected people. Managing humanitarian aid and donations among the affected people is considered as one of the most important problems after disasters. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the challenges and barriers of humanitarian aid management in 2017 Kermanshah Earthquake. Methods: This study was conducted from November 2017 to January 2018, with qualitative case study design. The population included 21 people including 6 humanitarian aid manager, 6 volunteers, 4 aid workers, and 5 affected people. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and purposeful sampling, which continued until saturating the data. The strategies recommended by Guba were used for evaluating the trustworthiness of the data. The data was analyzed with conventional content analysis method according to method suggested by Graneheim and Lundman. Results: Based on the results, two themes, nine categories, and 19 sub-categories were identified considering the challenges and barriers of humanitarian aid and donors’ management during the 2017 Kermanshah Earthquake. The categories included education, command and coordination, communication and information, rules, security, traffic and overcrowding, assessment, providing system, and cultural setting. Also, two themes including managerial and structural barriers were extracted. Conclusion: Adopting an effective management and appropriate policies with respect to humanitarian aid and modifying structural and managerial barriers can improve the performance and management of humanitarian aid.

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The Resiliency of Humanitarian Aid Workers in Disasters: A Qualitative Study in an Iranian Context

Cited by 9 publications

References 26 publications

Caring for the mental health of humanitarian volunteers in traumatic contexts: the importance of organisational support

Caring for the mental health of humanitarian volunteers in traumatic contexts: the importance of organisational support

Challenges and barriers of humanitarian aid management in 2017 Kermanshah earthquake: a qualitative study

Challenges and barriers of Humanitarian Aid Management in 2017 Kermanshah Earthquake: A Qualitative Study

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