Abstract
BackgroundHumanitarian crises, such as armed conflict, forced displacement, natural disasters, and major disease outbreaks, take a staggering toll on human health, especially in low-resource settings. Yet there is a dearth of robust evidence to inform the governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other humanitarian organizations on how to best respond to them. The Fogarty International Center of the U.S. National Institutes of Health commissioned a collection of Research in Practice articles that highlights the experiences of scientists conducting research in the context of humanitarian crises. Unlike traditional research papers, the case analyses in this collection go beyond what research was completed and focus on why the research was important and how it was conducted in these extremely challenging settings.DiscussionThe papers selected for this collection span 27 countries, cover a broad range of humanitarian crises, and discuss a wide variety of disease and health risk factors. Of the 23 papers in the collection, 17 include an author from the affected country and five papers were authored by humanitarian NGOs. Throughout the collection, 43% of the authors were from low- and middle-income countries.Across the collection, some general themes emerged that are broadly applicable. Importantly, there is a clear need for more, high-quality research to address evidence gaps. Community engagement, already a key element to global health research, was highlighted as especially important for research involving populations dealing with severe trauma and disruption. Partnership with humanitarian actors, including local governments, local and international NGOs, and UN agencies, was found to be a critical strategy as well.ConclusionA variety of audiences will find this collection useful. Global health educators can utilize papers to facilitate discussion around public health practice and equitable partnerships, among other topics. Humanitarian response organizations may use the collection to consider how research may inform and improve their work. Global health researchers, funders, and other stakeholders may use the collection to stimulate dialogue around key scientific research questions and better appreciate the importance of conducting research in humanitarian crises in the context of achieving broader global health goals.
Highlights
Humanitarian crises, such as armed conflict, forced displacement, natural disasters, and major disease outbreaks, take a staggering toll on human health, especially in low-resource settings
Who can benefit from this collection The papers in this collection follow a new “Research in Practice” format developed by Springer Nature that is relevant to a broader audience than more traditional research articles
This collection is ideal for trainees in Low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) as well as trainees studying global health in High-income countries (HIC) institutions
Summary
The case analyses in this collection largely responded to the first two objectives outlined in the Background section of this paper, highlighting the challenges and strategies of conducting research in humanitarian settings (objective 1) and demonstrating the feasibility and importance of this area of research (objective 2). While humanitarian health research is uniquely challenging, it is increasingly important and the evidence gaps in the field cannot be ignored This collection makes a small contribution to this need, but much more should be done to improve the quantity and quality of research in humanitarian settings. Importance of local communities An important part of nearly every study in this collection was the engagement of affected populations and local communities in the research process This is an increasingly significant aspect of all health research and becomes especially important when working with people dealing with severe trauma and disruption from a humanitarian crisis. Et al - Lessons learned evaluating the baby friendly spaces program for south Sudanese 10 refugees in Gambella, Ethiopia: strengthening research and programmatic partnerships to address maternal and child health and psychosocial needs in humanitarian emergencies. Guha-Sapir, et al - Challenges in public health and epidemiology research in humanitarian settings: 23 experiences from the field
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
