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The Professionalization of Humanitarian Health Assistance: Report of a Survey on What Humanitarian Health Workers Tell Us

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Mamata Kene ,
Mary E. Pack ,
P. Gregg Greenough  and
Frederick M. Burkle Jr.
Mamata Kene
Affiliation:
Division of International Health and Humanitarian Programs, Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts USA
Mary E. Pack
Affiliation:
International Medical Corps, Los Angeles, California USA
P. Gregg Greenough*
Affiliation:
Division of International Health and Humanitarian Programs, Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts USA Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA
Frederick M. Burkle Jr.
Affiliation:
Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA
*
Harvard Humanitarian Initiative 14 Story Street, 2nd Floor Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 USA E-mail: ggreenou@hsph.harvard.edu
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Abstract

Introduction:

While the number of humanitarian health workers has grown considerably along with the emphasis on evidence-based humanitarian practice over the last 15 years, no organization exists to ensure ongoing professionalization of this area of expertise.

Hypothesis/Problem:

To determine whether and to what degree the community of humanitarian health workers self-identify as a professional group; whether a need for a professional society exists to support such a group; and if so, what fundamental elements and activities should it encompass and provide.

Methods:

A humanitarian, listserv-based survey was undertaken to evaluate humanitarian professional self-identification, needs for and interest in professional support functions, and priorities toward developing a professional organization to provide needed services.

Results:

The resulting respondent population represented a broad distribution of age and experience with education and experience being equally important factors in defining humanitarian health professionals. Respondents viewed themselves as humanitarian professionals nearly to the extent they viewed themselves as health-specific technical experts who happen to work in humanitarian assistance; they expressed a strong desire to establish a professional society reflecting that self-identification; and that body should focus on activities of education and training, networking and dialogue, and developing and refining core competencies to support best practices.

Conclusions:

Humanitarian health workers self-identify as professionals in humanitarian assistance and as technical experts. A professional organization with specific support functions would be of interest to many humanitarian health professionals.

Keywords

humanitarianismhumanitarian workersnon-governmental organizationprofessionalization
Type
Working Group 4
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 24 , supplement S2: 2009 Humanitarian Action Summit , August 2009 , pp. s210 - s216
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2009

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References

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