International Disaster Relief Research Articles

Trauma Clearance Concept of PTSD Help Disaster Victims Avoid from PTSD by volunteering

As we know that trauma means experience that cause intense physical and psychological stress reaction in a big disaster or unfortunate encounter . After disaster, the victims engage in volunteer will get more opportunities to take part in the society and interact with more people. Especially the victims will get a new valuable experience with delight. These experiences will cover-up and clear the trauma experience. Actually through inviting victims involved in volunteer , we can find they re-get the value of life and start a new life career. This article practically shares diverse experiences regarding a lot victims Tzu Chi domestic and international disaster relief activities which include 921 Taiwan Chi-Chi earthquake in 1999, Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in 2004, Sichuan (Wenchuan) earthquake of Mainland China in 2008, Morake typhoon of southern Taiwan in 2009, Typhoon Haiyan of Philippine in 2013. We accumulated some examples of victim volunteers how did they quit the invasion of PTSD through the involve of volunteering, Thousands of the victims get a lot of valuable and delightful experiences will invite the other victims to participate the volunteer. This positive action will gradually be spread by victims and set into impetus to the whole disaster area. Except the group type example of disaster victims’ volunteer, there is also the example that a lady who lost husband and two children. How she walked out from the biggest tragedy of her life through volunteering as the interpreter.

Quantitative Analysis of United States National Guard COVID-19 Disaster Relief Activities April-June 2020

Introduction:The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity for the United States National Guard (NG) to assist in an infectious disease disaster. This study aims to interpret data from NG situation reports (SITREPS) given to the National Guard Bureau (NGB) by each state national guard headquarters regarding their relief efforts from April to June 2020. This is the first published study about NG disaster relief utilizing quantitative data provided by the US military.Method:The SITREPS of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands are available for the dates of April 10, May 6, May 16, and June 3, 2020 through a NG website that requires government level access. These were examined to evaluate and analyze the activities directed by each state NG headquarters as part of COVID-19 response efforts. No other dates were available for analysis.Results:During the COVID-19 pandemic, the NG primarily provided security, tested for COVID-19, ran COVID-19 shelters, assisted foodbanks, delivered meals, provided transportation services, aided mortuaries, supported protective equipment warehouses, and deployed medical personnel to cover hospital shortages. They provided services to children, homeless persons, residents of skilled nursing facilities, and Native Americans living on tribal lands. Service members (SM) sewed masks, provided translation services, and cooked in prison kitchens. All state NGs participated in COVID-19 relief to varying degrees. Numerical data about the services provided such as quantity was rare but is included as available.Conclusion:The United States National Guard provided a wide variety of services through activation of its service men and women that impacted COVID-19 response throughout all states and territories. This elucidation of the uses of the National Guard should be considered during future governmental disaster preparedness planning efforts, and can be extrapolated to international military disaster relief.

Quantitative Analysis of United States National Guard COVID-19 Disaster Relief Activities April-June 2020

Abstract Objective: This study interprets data from NG situation reports (SITREPS) given to the National Guard Bureau (NGB) by each state national guard headquarters regarding their COVID-19 relief efforts from April to June 2020. This is the first published study about NG disaster relief utilizing quantitative data provided by the United States (US) military. Methods: The SITREPS of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands for the dates of April 10, May 6, May 16, and June 3, 2020 were examined by two authors, to analyze the state NG activities. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the NG primarily provided security, performed COVID-19 testing, ran COVID-19 shelters, provided food assistance, transported supplies, aided mortuaries, supported warehouses, and deployed medical personnel to hospitals. Numerical data about the services provided, such as quantity, was rare, but is included as available. Conclusions: The United States National Guard provided assistance to their local citizens in multiple essential areas. This elucidation of the uses of the National Guard should be considered during future governmental disaster preparedness planning efforts and can be extrapolated to international military disaster relief.

Home bias in humanitarian aid: The role of regional favoritism in the allocation of international disaster relief

This paper investigates whether regional favoritism shapes humanitarian aid flows. Using a rich and unique dataset derived from reports of the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), we show that substantially larger amounts of aid are disbursed when exogenous natural disasters hit the birth region of the recipient countries’ political leader. While we find no evidence that US commercial or political interests affect the size of this home bias, the bias is stronger in countries with a weaker bureaucracy and governance, suggesting the absence of effective safeguards in the allocation of aid.

Making sense of international faith-based disaster relief volunteer experiences: Barriers and contributors to successful operations.

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of five deployed international disaster relief volunteers from a faith-based group in Thailand. This study explored what participants perceived as contributors and barriers to their successful operations and how they made sense of their roles in the disaster recovery process. Organizational and cross-cultural barriers were identified. Through the lens of sensemaking theory, four additional themes emerged: participants' first assignment, the motto of being part of the solution, their firm belief in the organization's values and practices, and their perception of necessity. Implications for faith-based organizations and directions for future studies are provided.

China’s response to the 2014–2016 Ebola crisis: Enhancing Africa’s soft security under Sino-US competition

The 2014–16 Ebola crisis in West Africa was China’s very first opportunity to demonstrate its willingness and ability to play a meaningful role in addressing public health emergencies of international concern. China’s decision to participate in the international response to the outbreak was part of an ambition to enhance its contribution to Africa’s security in general and health security in particular and to exert more influence on global norms. The specific role played by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), especially its Academy of Military Medical Sciences, in Sierra Leone and Liberia is part of an ongoing effort to increase China’s involvement in international humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. It was the first time that it sent medical military teams to set up and operate infectious disease hospitals overseas. This participation also underscores the PLA’s crucial role in fighting epidemics overseas as well as at home, as the current COVID-19 pandemic illustrates. The Ebola crisis enables us to explore aspects of the PLA’s overseas missions, some of which are humanitarian and others which generally enhance China’s influence as a great power in Africa and in the world in the context of a growing Sino-US strategic competition.

Climate Crises and Crypto-Colonialism: Conjuring Value on the Blockchain Frontiers of the Global South

In this commentary we explore how international development, disaster relief and climate change mitigation credentials are being called upon to justify ‘crypto-colonialism’, whereby blockchain technology is used to extract economic benefits from those suffering the scars of colonial expansionism in the Global South. These benefits include land, labour and resources needed to facilitate local ‘crypto-utopian’ developments, or a ‘green economy’ elsewhere. As with past neoliberal development agendas imposing structural economic reforms, the contemporary crypto-colonial exercises discussed here are driven in pursuit of a common good – to protect the global commons and improve people’s lives. Within spaces where crypto-colonialism manifests, the governance frameworks of the associated technology is heavily entangled with social-spatial relations in multiple ways. We argue that despite being distributed, techno-ecological fixes are never placeless. How people engage with, resist or reconfigure a crypto-economy is geographically contingent. This commentary argues for more situated critical analysis of actually existing case-studies to reveal the inequitable terrain of project benefit distributions, and to expose the likely winners and losers within each. The success or failure of use-cases is less dependent on technical viability, but rather mediated through reactions to colonial contexts and historical experiences of various economic and climate crises.

Voluntary Rescue Service in Hungary: The HUSZÁR Team

HUSZÁR, the Hungarian National Organisation for Rescue Services, was founded in 2012 and now has a staff of over 80. HUSZÁR is a special rescue unit that can be deployed in domestic and international disaster management. Based on the United Nations International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (UN INSARAG) classification, HUSZÁR is a medium level urban search and rescue team and its units are equipped with special skills and technical equipment. A special feature of the team is volunteerism combined with professional interventional skills. Its subunits can manage individual interventions, they have participated in several international disaster relief tasks following earthquakes and tsunamis, and they have also played an active role in the preparation of other nations’ rescue teams.

Humanitarian Organizations in International Disaster Relief: Understanding the Linkage Between Donors and Recipient Countries

This study explores how humanitarian organizations (HOs) link donors and recipients in a disaster relief coordination mechanism. Based on an analysis of real data collected from the financial tracking service, our results show that disaster assistance through the HO channel greatly exceeds the funding delivered by the non-HO channel. The severity of the disaster is positively correlated with the involvement of HOs. Disaster-stricken countries that belong to the Non-Aligned Movement receive more assistance through the HO channel. The recipients with less international trade may attract more HO-channel funding, but higher international tourism expenditures also may result in more HO-channel funding. We also found that the determinants of the disaster relief coordination path vary greatly in terms of trade openness, political regime, and geographic factors. Based on the analysis of the primary humanitarian relief supply chain, the results show that some countries prefer to donate through large international HOs (e.g., Japan and Canada), and other countries favor national level organizations (e.g., the UK and the USA). Finally, to improve the efficiency of international disaster relief, the paper suggests a coordination platform that involves the main donors, frequent recipients, HOs, and a Global Information Network that can assist in coordinating disaster relief activities.

Image-building as Impetus for the Growth of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)’s Engagement in International Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR) Operations

Abstract The People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) engagement in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) enables China to reassure the international community and change perceptions of its global intentions. Natural disasters are expected to increase worldwide, requiring greater PLA involvement in international HA/DR missions. However, maximising the public relations benefits of participating in such missions will require leadership to avoid short-term irritations and political speculation that often accompany China’s foreign intervention, hampering Beijing’s soft-power initiatives.

Some Considerations Related to NATO Intervention for Disaster Mitigation (Case Study: Pakistan Earthquake)

Abstract In the last period of time, disasters have become a regular part of global life, no matter if we consider natural or manmade disasters. These events create emergencies when their effects impact on nations/organizations which are not able to cope with the consequences, especially because of the lack of inherent resources. Hence, NATO has assumed an important role in international disaster relief by becoming involved in the provision of relief following natural disasters, all these being in accordance with the founding principles of the Alliance. The purpose of this paper is to spotlight the importance of NATO’s specific structures dealing with disaster relief (EADRCC-Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre, EADRU - Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Unit etc.) and to present the main aspects and lessons learned from the intervention in Pakistan earthquake (2005).

International Disaster Medical Relief of China: Lessons and Practices

Aim:This descriptive study explored barriers and difficulties faced by an international disaster relief team from China, which took part in two types of international disaster relief missions.Methods:Data was collected since the founding of the Chinese international disaster relief team, including information on team composition, operational hours, and average number of patients rescued and treated by staff per day, etc.Results:Overall, thirteen disaster relief missions utilizing the Chinese disaster relief team occurred in eight countries. All the operations were divided into two kinds of models: Urban Search and Rescue mission, and Emergency Medical service. The first model consisted of search, rescue, and emergency medical services on site. The ratio of medical staff on the team accounted for 18.8%. According to the six international health-based operations, the team was deployed ten days following the disaster, with an average working time of 17.8 days, and benefiting around 6,812 wounded and sick persons per operation. Compared with these two models, medical-based operations deployed more staff after the disaster and had a longer window of operation. The beneficiaries of medical-based operations are ten times greater than those of rescue-based operations. The differences are distinct.Discussion:Missions will better meet the needs of international relief by enhancing organizational coordination among medical teams around the world, and by contributing to the communication between teams. They will further benefit from technical capacity building, regional coordination trainings, formatting the standard of teaming building, and evaluation of the work.

A Content Analysis of Disaster Nursing Education in Korean and Japanese Universities

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the contents of disaster nursing education at universities in Korea and Japan, with focus on textbooks. Methods: Disaster nursing contents from 11 Korean community health nursing textbooks and 3 Japanese disaster nursing textbooks were analysed. Results: Three themes and 8 categories of disaster nursing content in the selected textbooks were analyzed. The themes classified include ‘understanding of disaster’, ‘disaster management’ and ‘disaster management system’. The theme of ‘understanding of disaster’ consists of such categories as ‘disaster concept/outline’, ‘classification of disaster’, ‘disaster management step’ and ‘disaster impact’. The theme of ‘disaster management activities’ consists of categories such as ‘disaster management activities’ and ‘disaster nursing’. The theme of ‘national disaster management system’ consists of categories like ‘national disaster management system’ and ‘international disaster relief’. From the comparison of disaster nursing education in the two countries, we found that themes were similar but there were differences between the two countries in content configuration. Korea and Japan have adopted the framework of International Council of Nurses for disaster nursing education. Korea stressed legal and ethical capabilities, while Japan included psychological support for disaster management service providers. Conclusion: Disaster education is an important factor in a nurse’s ability for a disaster management. Development of a comprehensive disaster education program is necessary to enhance disaster care capacities.

Legal Disaster Risk Reduction Cooperation During Ecuador's Earthquake

In 2010, Haiti's 7.0 magnitude earthquake resulted in more than 200,000 deaths and more than one million homeless. This event recaptured the attention of international society regarding disaster-related governmental policies and legislation. In 2011, Resolution 7 of the International Conference of the Red Cross reiterated the urgency for states to be prepared to facilitate and regulate any international disaster assistance, using the Guidelines for the domestic facilitation and regulation of international disaster relief and initial recovery assistance (also known as the “IDRL Guidelines”). The International Conference adopted these guidelines in 2007; nevertheless, several countries did not implement the recommendations of the IDRL guidelines before the Haiti earthquake. Such was the case of Ecuador, which, after 2010, began to work on the implementation of the IDRL guidelines. In the beginning, public officials were very skeptical about the IDRL Guidelines as a tool for mitigating the consequences of disasters.

The relationship between dispositional empathy, psychological distress, and posttraumatic stress responses among Japanese uniformed disaster workers: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundDisaster workers suffer from psychological distress not only through the direct experience of traumatic situations but also through the indirect process of aiding disaster victims. This distress, called secondary traumatic stress, is linked to dispositional empathy, which is the tendency for individuals to imagine and experience the feelings and experiences of others. However, the association between secondary traumatic stress and dispositional empathy remains understudied.MethodsTo examine the relationship between dispositional empathy and mental health among disaster workers, we collected data from 227 Japan Ground Self-Defense Force personnel who engaged in international disaster relief activities in the Philippines following Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale were used to evaluate posttraumatic stress responses (PTSR) and general psychological distress (GPD), respectively. Dispositional empathy was evaluated through the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, which consists of four subscales: Perspective Taking, Fantasy, Empathic Concern, and Personal Distress. Hierarchial linear regression analyses were performed to identify the variables related to PTSR and GPD.ResultsHigh PTSR was significantly associated with high Fantasy (identification tendency, β = 0.21, p < .01), high Personal Distress (the self-oriented emotional disposition of empathy, β = 0.18, p < .05), and no experience of disaster relief activities (β = 0.15, p < .05). High GPD was associated with high Personal Distress (β = 0.28, p < .001), marital status (married, β = 0.22, p < .01), being female (β = 0.18, p < .01), medical unit (β = 0.18, p < .05), and no experience of disaster relief activities (β = 0.13, p < .05).ConclusionsAmong Japanese uniformed disaster workers, high PTSR was associated with two subtypes of dispositional empathy: the self-oriented emotional disposition of empathy and high identification tendency, whereas high GPD was associated with high identification tendency. Educational interventions that aim to mitigate these tendencies might be able to relieve the psychological distress of disaster workers.

When the time comes: Interviewing clinicians about their motivation and inspiration for working in international disaster relief programmes

Abstract This article investigates the motivation and inspiration of clinicians who are using arts-based approaches in providing psychosocial support in distressed communities during and post-disaster. Through interviewing colleagues in the field, each interviewee has found their way of creating a ceremonial structure to meet the challenges they faced on the ground. They adapt their skills and their talents for the betterment of others. They bring with them an understanding of the importance of presence and spirit as well as personal characteristics of courage, optimism, hope and belief in themselves and others. Their work is geared towards the restoration and installation of these factors in others. Their professional training and personal convictions has prepared them to be able to deal with powerful and sometimes overwhelming emotions. They are able to contain their own pain as well as work in the face of unbearable sorrow, pain and grieving. They are committed to being of service.

Current situation and suggestion of Chinese nurses participating in medical rescue of international disaster

With the increase of Chinese nurses participating in the international disaster medical rescue, the nurses are facing new challenges. This paper analyzes the current situation of nurses in China to participate in the international disaster medical rescue, and suggested paying more attention to the nursing team construction to improve nurses′ rescue ability. To strengthen the nursing emergency plan and organize simulation drill. To strengthen the organization and coordination of international disaster relief, in close coordination with the local government and organizations. Paying attention to the psychological intervention of nurses and reduce the psychological stress effectively. To do more research of disaster nursing and try to improve the nursing level of our country in the international disaster medical rescue. Key words: Nursing care; Disaster; Medical rescue

Effective International Medical Disaster Relief: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

A qualitative descriptive design was used. Data were gathered from interviews with key personnel at five international medical response organizations, as well as during field observations conducted at multiple sites in Jordan and Greece, including three refugee camps. Data were then reviewed by the research team and coded to identify patterns, categories, and themes. The results from this qualitative, descriptive design identified three themes which were key characteristics of success found in effective, well-established, international medical disaster relief organizations. These characteristics were first, ensuring an official invitation had been extended and the need for assistance had been identified. Second, the response to that need was done in an effective and sustainable manner. Third, effective organizations strived to obtain high-quality volunteers. By following the three key characteristics outlined in this research, organizations are more likely to improve the efficiency and quality of their work. In addition, they will be less likely to impede the overall recovery process. Broby N , Lassetter JH , Williams M , Winters BA . Effective international medical disaster relief: a qualitative descriptive study. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(2):119-126.

Military Provision of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief in Non-Conflict Crises

AbstractThere is an upward trend in the use of military personnel and assets to provide domestic and international humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. International humanitarian law has constrained military involvement by imposing particular obligations when it comes to providing assistance. In nonconflict situations, however, these constraints are becoming increasingly unreasonable given that the priority is to fill the gap between global humanitarian capacity and actual community need. Militaries in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region have been proactively assessing their performance in humanitarian missions, and some have made significant progress in advancing civilian-military coordination. Future efforts must focus on improving the integration of military modes of operation and assets into emerging frameworks for disaster management and humanitarian efforts. Military policy makers need to assume a more active role in expanding their focus beyond response to all phases of disasters: prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.

How Critical Infrastructure Orients International Relief in Cascading Disasters

Critical infrastructure and facilities are central assets in modern societies, but their impact on international disaster relief remains mostly associated with logistics challenges. The emerging literature on cascading disasters suggests the need to integrate the nonlinearity of events in the analyses. This article investigates three case studies: the 2002 floods in the Czech Republic, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima meltdown in Japan. We explore how the failure of critical infrastructure can orient international disaster relief by shifting its priorities during the response. We argue that critical infrastructure can influence aid request and delivery, changing needs to address the cascades, and contain cascading technology‐based events. The conclusions propose remaining challenges with applying our findings.