Evidence Aid bulletin: 27 March 2023
Below is Evidence Aid’s March 2023 bulletin. This month’s bulletin contains shortened versions of two of our recent summaries on topics related to effective PTSD treatment, newborn health interventions in humanitarian settings, and the general importance of mental health services in the wake of natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies.
Additionally, if you would like to receive these bulletins directly or have questions about our work please contact Jane Copsey (info@evidenceaid.org). If you like our work and think it is important that we continue through 2023, please consider donating here.
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PTSD commonly occurs after a serious traumatic event or series of events, including natural disasters, emergencies, protracted conflict, or similar serious accidents. Although it can be effectively treated through cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), there are limits to its delivery — such as cost, time off work, transportation, and childcare. One potential solution to these barriers is the delivery of Internet-based cognitive and behavioural therapies (I-C/BT). Internet-based I-C/BT is therapy delivered through the Internet (such as on a computer or phone) without therapist guidance. As such, the authors of this study compared the effectiveness of I-C/BT to that of more traditional methods of psychological therapy to determine that I-C/BT delivers some beneficial effects for the treatment of PTSD. However, the certainty of evidence in the studies performed was low, indicating the need for additional observations. [Citation: Simon N, et al. Internet‐based cognitive and behavioural therapies for post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2021;(5):CD011710.] You can find a full summary of this review in Managing Mental Health Injuries in Disasters.
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Newborn health interventions in humanitarian settings
The delivery of quality newborn (0-28 days after birth) care is challenged in humanitarian settings, often exacerbating already existing vulnerabilities. As the number of people living in humanitarian settings continues to increase, the disruption of health services will follow. As such, the authors reviewed previous studies which reported on the effectiveness of interventions that affected newborn health to better guide and inform actors in the field of sexual and reproductive health (SRH). They found that the most common types of newborn care included thermal care and feeding support; however, there were also reports of initiation of breathing, infection prevention and hygiene, monitoring and danger signs, postnatal care checks, and delaying cord clamping and administration of vitamin K. Community health interventions and understanding social beliefs around newborn care are key activities for newborn care programmes to be successfully delivered. However, despite there being an increase in studies about newborn health, there nonetheless remains an insufficient quantity and quality of studies from a variety of settings, countries, and actors. [Citation: Rodo M, et al. A systematic review of newborn health interventions in humanitarian settings. BMJ Global Health. 2022;7(7):e009082.] You can find a full summary of this review in Resilient Health Systems.
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Finally, in the continued wake of the earthquake in Syria and Türkiye, we’d like to point your attention to our Managing Mental Injuries in Disasters collection, which holds a selection of evidence related to mental health and the lesser-seen emotional and psychological impacts of disasters and armed conflict. Two of the summaries contained in that collection are outlined below:
Mental health of migrants who were exposed to armed conflict before migration
The consequences of armed conflict are not only measured in terms of fatalities and physical injuries, but also in long-term considerations of mental health such as generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and PTSD. The authors estimated the prevalence of these common mental health disorders through a systematic review of previously conducted studies.[Citation: Mesa-Vieira C, et al. Mental health of migrants with pre-migration exposure to armed conflict: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Public Health. 2022;7(5):e469-81.]
Documenting and understanding the experience of those delivering healthcare in mass causality events or disasters is essential to improve both the delivery of aid, and the sustainability of healthcare practitioners. The authors conducted a systematic review using data published until February 2021 to uncover that feelings of sadness, helplessness, fear, and blockage were common reactions to mass casualties or disasters. [Citation: Rodriguez‐Arrastia M, et al. Emotional and psychological implications for healthcare professionals in disasters or mass casualties: A systematic review. Journal of Nursing Management. 2022;30:298-309.]
As a final reminder, if anyone would like to receive these bulletins directly or has questions about our work, please reach out to Jane Copsey (info@evidenceaid.org).
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