Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-v5vhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-26T10:22:02.916Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Factors Affecting Resiliency Among Volunteers in Disasters: A Systematic Literature Review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 November 2020

Hasan Ghodsi Open the ORCID record for Hasan Ghodsi [Opens in a new window] ,
Sanaz Sohrabizadeh ,
Reaza Khani Jazani  and
Amir Kavousi
Hasan Ghodsi
Affiliation:
Department of Nursing & Midwifery, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Sanaz Sohrabizadeh*
Affiliation:
Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Reaza Khani Jazani
Affiliation:
Men’s Health and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Amir Kavousi
Affiliation:
Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Sanaz Sohrabizadeh, Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Daneshjou Blv, Velenjak District, Tehran, 1983535511, Iran (e-mail: ssohrabizadeh@gmail.com).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

Volunteers need considerable resiliency to cope with formidable challenges during their operations in disaster scenes. The present study was conducted to identify factors affecting the different aspects of resiliency among volunteers in disasters.

Material and Methods:

The databases of Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, Google Scholar, World Health Organization Library, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Library, PsycArticles, and SafetyLit were searched until September 29, 2018. The main search terms were resiliency, disaster, humanitarian aid worker, and volunteer.

Results:

A total of 548 documents were obtained and screened based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A number of 8 documents was selected for the final analysis. The main factors contributing to the resilience of volunteers at the 3 stages of pre-, during, and post-disasters were classified into 3 groups of individual, environmental, and organizational. Important factors affecting resilience of volunteers in disasters included previous disaster response experience and disaster-related training.

Conclusion:

Resiliency should be deemed integral to relief operations. Considering the main factors affecting volunteers’ resiliency, it is highly suggested that organizations active in humanitarian endeavors explore the factors impacting on resilience among their volunteers via various research methods and seek to select those with higher degrees of resilience in order to avert untoward consequences in their missions.

Keywords

disastersresiliencesystematic literature reviewvolunteers
Type
Systematic Review
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 16 , Issue 1 , February 2022 , pp. 398 - 404
Copyright
Copyright © 2020 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

History of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cresent. 2018. http://www.ifrc.org/en/who-we-are/history/. Accessed February 5, 2019.Google Scholar
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Volunteering in emergencies. 2014. http://www.ifrc.org/PageFiles/91936/1207900_Volunteering-in-emergency.pdf. Accessed February 10, 2019.Google Scholar
Hazeldine, S, Baillie Smith, M. Global review on volunteering report. Geneva: IFRC. 2015. https://www.ifrc.org/Global/Publications/Volunteers/1301100-Global-Review-on-Volunteering-Report_EN.pdf. Accessed January 12, 2019.Google Scholar
Van Liempt, S, Vermetten, E, de Groen, JH, Westenberg, HG. Sleep disturbances in post-traumatic stress disorder. An overview of the literature. Tijdschr psychiatrie. 2007;49(9):629–638.Google ScholarPubMed
Stamm, BH, Stamm, HE, Hudnall, AC, Higson-Smith, C. Considering a theory of cultural trauma and loss. J Loss Trauma. 2004;9(1):89–111. doi: 10.1080/15325020490255412.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stoddard, A, Harmer, A, Didomenico, V. Providing aid in insecure environments: trends in violence against aid workers and the operational response. Overseas Development Institute. Contract No.: Humanitarian Policy Group Brief 34; 2009.Google Scholar
Ehrenreich, JH, Elliot, TL. Managing stress in humanitarian aid workers: a survey of humanitarian aid agencies’ psychosocial training and support of staff. Peace Confl J Peace Psychol. 2004;10(1):53–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kleim, B, Westphal, M. Mental health in first responders: a review and recommendation for prevention and intervention strategies. Traumatology. 2011;17(4):17–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Naturale, A, Pulido, M. Helping the helpers. Ameliorating secondary traumatic stress in disaster workers. In: Framingham, J, Teasley, M, eds. Behavioral Health Response to Disasters. New York: CRC Press; 2012:189–208.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cutter, SL, Barnes, L, Berry, M, et al. A place-based model for understanding community resilience to natural disasters. Glob Environ Change. 2008;18(4):598–606. doi: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2008.07.013.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ainuddin, S, Routray, JK. Community resilience framework for an earthquake prone area in Baluchistan. Int J Disaster Risk Reduct. 2012;2(1):25–36. doi: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2012.07.003.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arbon, P, Kristine, G, Lynette, C, et al. Developing a model and tool to measure community disaster resilience. Aust J Emerg Manag. 2014;29(4);12–16.Google Scholar
Brooks, SK, Dunn, R, Sage, CAM, et al. Risk and resilience factors affecting the psychological wellbeing of individuals deployed in humanitarian relief roles after a disaster. J Ment Health. 2015;24(6):385–413. doi: 10.3109/09638237.2015.1057334. Epub 2015 Oct 9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moher, D, Liberati, A, Tetzlaff, J, Altman, DG. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. Ann Intern Med. 2009;151(4):264–269, w64.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Checklist. 2020. http://www.casp-uk.net/checklists. Accessed December 5, 2018.Google Scholar
Nickell, LA, Crighton, EJ, Tracy, CS, et al. Psychosocial effects of SARS on hospital staff: survey of a large tertiary care institution. Can Med Assoc J. 2004;170(5):793–798.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blanchetière, P. Resilience of Humanitarian Workers [Dissertation]. UK: Manchester, UK. 2006.Google Scholar
Bjerneld, M, Lindmark, G, McSpadden, LA, Garrett, MJ. Motivations, concerns, and expectations of Scandinavian health professionals volunteering for humanitarian assignments. Disaster Manag Response. 2006;4(2):49–58. doi: 10.1016/j.dmr.2006.01.002.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Comoretto, A. Resilience in humanitarian aid workers: understanding processes of development. IIE Trans Occup. 2015;3:197–209.Google Scholar
Gelkopf, M, Ryan, P, Cotton, SJ, Berger, R. The impact of “training the trainers” course for helping tsunami-survivor children on Sri Lankan disaster volunteer workers. Int J Stress Manag. 2008;15(2):117–135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dass-Brailsford, P. Crisis and disaster counseling: lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and other disasters. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE; 2010.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gritti, A. Building aid workers’ resilience: why a gendered approach is needed. Gender Dev. 2015;23(3):449–462. doi: 10.1080/13552074.2015.1095542.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McKay, L. Building resilient managers in humanitarian organisations: strengthening key organizational structures and personal skills that promote resilience in challenging environments. People In Aid; December 31, 2011. https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/resilience%282%29_0.pdf. Accessed February 20, 2019.Google Scholar
Quevillon, RP, Gray, BL, Erickson, SE, et al. Helping the helpers: assisting staff and volunteer workers before, during, and after disaster relief operations. J Clin Psychol. 2016;72(12):1348–1363. doi: 10.1002/jclp.22336. Epub 2016 Aug 9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eriksson, CB, Bjorck, JP, Larson, LC, et al. Social support, organisational support, and religious support in relation to burnout in expatriate humanitarian aid workers. Ment Health Relig Cult. 2009;12(7):671–686.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sohrabizadeh, S, Sayfouri, N. Antecedents and consequences of work engagement among nurses. Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2014;16(11):e16351. doi: 10.5812/ircmj.16351.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ghodsi, H, Khani Jazani, R, Sohrabizadeh, S, Kavousi, A. The resiliency of humanitarian aid workers in disasters: a qualitative study in the Iranian context. Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2019;21(2):e80366. doi: 10.5812/ircmj.80366.Google Scholar