the aid library

Psychosocial challenges associated with caregiving in the context of Pediatric HIV in rural eastern cape

A. G. Lentoor Frontiers in Public Health; PubMed.gov (2017) CC

Frontiers in Public Health | www.frontiersin.org 1 June 2017 | Volume 5 | Article 127

Challenges and Opportunities for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in the COVID-19 Response in Africa: A Mixed-Methods Study

Walker, A. et al. (2022) CC

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 9313. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159313. A mixed-methods study, using an online survey and in-depth interviews, was conducted. Participants included Mental Health Focal Points at the Ministries of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO) country ... more

Challenges of sustainable mental health care and psychosocial support in low- and middle income countries

Petra G.H. Aarts War Trauma Foundation (2010)

Guidance Note: Mental health and Psychosocial Support Implications of Mpox Outbreaks, September 2024
recommended

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (2024) CC

The IFRC Psychosocial Centre has published a guidance note providing an overview of the psychosocial consequences of virus outbreaks, with a focus on mpox, and outlines key considerations for MHPSS ... more

Who is where, when, doing what (4Ws) in mental health and psychosocial support : manual with activity codes
recommended

Inter-Agency Standing Committee IASC (2012) C2

Humanitarian actors in emergencies often encounter challenges in knowing Who is Where, When, doing What (4Ws) with regard to mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). Such knowledge is essenti ... more

Integrating psychosocial interventions and support into HIV services for adolescents and young adults

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

Adolescence, defined as the period between 10 and 19 years of age, is a developmental stage during which many psychosocial and mental health challenges emerge. There is a well-established link betwe ... more

Integrating psychosocial interventions and support into HIV services for adolescents and young adults: technical brief

World Health Organisation (WHO) (2023) C_WHO

Adolescence, defined as the period between 10 and 19 years of age, is a developmental stage during which many psychosocial and mental health challenges emerge (1). Studies show that 34.6% of all me ... more

Webinar: Knowledge gaps and challenges in managing patients suffering from cutaneous leishmaniasis

Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative DNDi (2021) CC

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a painful disease that exerts a serious toll on societies around the world that are afflicted by it. Although not life-threatening, the skin ulcers and scars it causes can lead to isolation and psychosocial pathologies due ... more

Community based Mental health and Psychosocial support in humanitarian settings: Three-tiered support for children and families (Field test)

UN Children's Fund UNICEF (2018) CC

The CB MHPSS operational guidelines were developed in response to emerging evidence on the determinants of children’s resilience, lessons learned from the evaluation of existing approaches, and the unique challenges that today’s crises pose for ... more

Remote Psychological First Aid during COVID-19 – May 2020

IFRC Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support IFRC Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support (2020) CC

Psychological first aid (PFA) is a method of helping people in distress so they feel calm and supported to cope better with their challenges. It is a way of assisting someone to manage their situation and make informed decisions. The basis of psycho ... more

Joint Operational Framework Health and Protection

Protection Cluster; UN High Commissioner for Refugees (2023) C1

Each humanitarian setting provides distinct opportunities and challenges for actors to coordinate and collaborate at strategic and operational levels. The Health and Protection Joint Operational Framework has been developed to ensure that the health ... more

Evaluating the effectiveness of Child Friendly Spaces in IDP camps in Eastern DRC: Goma Field Study Summary Report

UNICEF (2014) C_UNICEF

Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs) are used by humanitarian agencies as a means to promote protection and psychosocial wellbeing for children in emergency settings. World Vision International together with Columbia University is conducting a series of stu ... more

Experience of living with type 1 diabetes in a low-income country: a qualitative study from Liberia

Adler, A.J.; Trujillo, C.; Schwartz, L.; et al. BMJ Journals (2021) CC

While epidemiological data for type 1 diabetes (T1D) in low/middle-income countries, and particularly low-income countries (LICs) including Liberia is lacking, prevalence in LICs is thought to be increasing. T1D care in LICs is often impacted by challenges ... more

Qualitative assessment of community health workers’ perspective on their motivation in community-based primary health care in rural Malawi

Ndambo, M.K.; Munyaneza, F.; Aron, M.B. et al. BMC Health Services Research (2022) CC

Background: Community Health Workers (CHWs) have a positive impact on the provision of community-based primary health care through screening, treatment, referral, psychosocial support, and accompaniment. With a broad scope of work, CHW programs mu ... st balance the breadth and depth of tasks to maintain CHW motivation for high-quality care delivery. Few studies have described the CHW perspective on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to enhance their programmatic activities. Methods: We utilized an exploratory qualitative study design with CHWs employed in the household model in Neno District, Malawi, to explore their perspectives on intrinsic and extrinsic motivators and dissatisfiers in their work. Data was collected in 8 focus group discussions with 90 CHWs in October 2018 and March–April 2019 in seven purposively selected catchment areas. All interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed using Dedoose. Results: Themes of complex intrinsic and extrinsic factors were generated from the perspectives of the CHWs in the focus group discussions. Study results indicate that enabling factors are primarily intrinsic factors such as positive patient outcomes, community respect, and recognition by the formal health care system but can lead to the chal- lenge of increased scope and workload. Extrinsic factors can provide challenges, including an increased scope and workload from original expectations, lack of resources to utilize in their work, and rugged geography. However, a posi- tive work environment through supportive relationships between CHWs and supervisors enables the CHWs. Conclusion: This study demonstrated enabling factors and challenges for CHW performance from their perspec- tive within the dual-factor theory. We can mitigate challenges through focused efforts to limit geographical distance, manage workload, and strengthen CHW support to reinforce their recognition and trust. Such programmatic empha- sis can focus on enhancing motivational factors found in this study to improve the CHWs’ experience in their role. The engagement of CHWs, the communities, and the formal health care system is critical to improving the care provided to the patients and communities, along with building supportive systems to recognize the work done by CHWs for the primary health care systems. more

Clinical care for survivors of Ebola virus disease
recommended

World Health Organization (WHO) (2016) C_WHO

Interim Guidance.
A number of medical problems have been reported in survivors, including mental health issues. Ebola virus may persist in some body fluids, including semen. Ebola survivors need comprehensive support for the medical and psychosocial ... more

Migration and health: key issues

World Health Organization WHO, Regional Office for Europe (2016) C_WHO

The most frequent health problems of newly arrived refugees and migrants include accidental injuries, hypothermia, burns, gastrointestinal illnesses, cardiovascular events, pregnancy- and delivery-related complications, diabetes and hypertension. Female refugees and migrants frequently face specific ... more

In Control: A Practical Handbook for Professionals Working in Health Emergencies Internationally RKI

Robert Koch Institut RKI (2023) CC

The greatest risk to persons engaging in international medical emergency response is poor preparation. The In Control handbook hopes to provide a remedy. At the time of writing, we are living through the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a health emergency that disregards physical borders, brin ... gs into focus social inequalities and affects people on every continent. This shared challenge requires unprecedented measures and the collaboration of the brightest minds to support global health protection through this crisis and beyond. Healthcare infrastructures have to be strengthened, public health capacities and processes upgraded, medical countermeasures and vaccinations found and psychosocial side-effects treated. Solidarity is the normative order of the day and the human species has to collaborate to face this invisible threat. Hiding and living in fear is not an option in this interconnected world. We have both a responsibility and an opportunity to make substantial contributions to a safer, healthier and more sustainable future for us all. The existence of this handbook is an impressive example of solidarity. Over 50 authors from more than 15 institutes and organisations have come together voluntarily within a very short time to make their expertise available and enable cross-sectoral thinking. Knowledge is bundled, resources are combined, information gaps are filled. The In Control handbook is not a theoretical treatise of possible dangers, but a collection of subject-matter expertise, written by experts and practitioners who have shaped health topics over the past 20 years in the most diverse corners of the world. The Centre for International Health Protection at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is collaborating with its partners and investing heavily in the build-up of operational know-how and capacity to support health crisis response abroad. This is done by preparing and enabling professionals to deploy safely across the world to assist those in need. In Control addresses the multi-faceted challenges of an international deployment. Readers will find not only technical medical information, but also insights into, for example, the fragility of our environment, the cultural differences that influence risk communication or the dilemmas arising from social distancing. Legal principles are highlighted, along with ethical guidance to ensure that our actions and decisions correspond to the highest moral standards. more

My Hero is You 2021, Storybook for Children on COVID-19
recommended

Inter-Agency Standing Committee IASC; World Health Organization (WHO); UNICEF; et al. (2021) C_WHO

The story-book, a sequel to the immensely successful ‘My Hero is You: How kids can fight COVID-19!’, is being released in the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new story, aimed primarily at children aged 6-11 years, sees the return of Ario, a fantasy creature who travels the world helpin ... more

Remote psychological first aid during the COVID-19 outbreak

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies IFRC (2020) CC