Help-seeking attitudes and behaviours among humanitarian aid workers

Due to the nature of their work and operating environments, humanitarian aid workers experience higher rates of psychological distress, burnout and mental health conditions than other emergency service worker populations. Fourteen international humanitarian workers were interviewed to examine whether they seek help from others in the context of work-related distress, specifically, their attitudes and behaviors regarding personal help-seeking at such times, their preferred sources of support and factors that enable or constrain effective help-seeking. Thematic analysis of the data derived five superordinate themes: (1) cultural aspects of help-seeking; (2) risks with formal, internal support; (3) lack of shared understanding of humanitarian context; (4) self-censoring and withdrawal; and (5) role maturity. There is high, in principle, support for personal help-seeking but its use is highly selective. Work colleagues are regarded as the most trusted and effective source of help in high stress periods, while barriers that exist with family and friends mean they are rarely sought out at such times. Trust and confidentiality concerns limit the use of internal agency supports and psychosocial services. External psychological services are preferred but are often found to be unsatisfactory. These findings can support aid organisations to address stigma perceptions that are commonly associated with personal help-seeking, particularly among early career practitioners, and normalise its use as a form of occupational self-care

Soil governance in Greece : a snapshot

For thousands of years, soil resources in Greece have been a critical underpinning of local socio-economies. However, soil threats are increasing rapidly, primarily due to human activity and the impacts of climate change. Greek and other European state governments have established legal frameworks to protect soil, but there is a great need for centralization and harmonization with European Law. This chapter highlights the importance of integrated soil governance frameworks that could be applied at the regional or international level while also supporting public engagement and local focus. It also considers the urgent need to address erosion - a major threat to soil resources in Greece that affects local well-being, environmental sustainability and heritage sites

Flood and renewable energy humanitarian engineering research : lessons from Aggitis, Greece and Dhuskun, Nepal

Climate and energy crises are increasing worldwide. Community-led humanitarian engineering interventions for localized sustainable development and disaster resilience could support populations at risk. This article presents findings from a study that investigated flood response and energy needs of two riparian communities in Greece and Nepal. The findings indicate that the codevelopment of a hybrid unit for hydropower generation and flood warning is most preferred. This prototype could find applications in different riparian areas as either a main or supplementary system

Exclusive breastfeeding rates and associated factors in 13 "Economic Community of West African States" (ECOWAS) countries

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) has important protective effects on child survival and also increases the growth and development of infants. This paper examined EBF rates and associated factors in 13 “Economic Community of West African States” (ECOWAS) countries. A weighted sample of 19,735 infants from the recent Demographic and Health Survey dataset in ECOWAS countries for the period of 2010–2018 was used. Survey logistic regression analyses that adjusted for clustering and sampling weights were used to determine the factors associated with EBF. In ECOWAS countries, EBF rates for infants 6 months or younger ranged from 13.0% in Côte d’Ivoire to 58.0% in Togo. EBF decreased significantly by 33% as the infant age (in months) increased. Multivariate analyses revealed that mothers with at least primary education, older mothers (35–49 years), and those who lived in rural areas were significantly more likely to engage in EBF. Mothers who made four or more antenatal visits (ANC) were significantly more likely to exclusively breastfeed their babies compared to those who had no ANC visits. Our study shows that EBF rates are still suboptimal in most ECOWAS countries. EBF policy interventions in ECOWAS countries should target mothers with no schooling and those who do not attend ANC. Higher rates of EBF are likely to decrease the burden of infant morbidity and mortality in ECOWAS countries due to non-exposure to contaminated water or other liquids

Battery hazards and safety : a scoping review for lead acid and silver-zinc batteries

Batteries play a critical role in our lives. However, depending on their chemical compositions and contents, they may turn into serious threats for both humans and the environment. Misuses and high temperatures during the operations may result in cell cracks and release hazardous liquids and gasses. In order to prevent fire ignition, strict safety regulations in battery manufacturing, storage and recycling facilities should be followed. This scoping review presents important safety, health and environmental information for lead acid and silver-zinc batteries. Our focus is on the relative safety data sheets and research studies. All findings are explained in a simple and clear manner. The goal of this paper is to identify risks and recommend solutions appropriately designed for increasing battery fire awareness

It’s 2am, you’re sleeping, and a flash flood hits your home. Without a warning system, what do you do?

In March 2019, a powerful storm hit southern Nepal. Residents in the Bara and Parsa districts had little warning. They sheltered in huts made from mud and brick which collapsed in the wind and rain. At least 28 people died and more than 600 were injured

Why do people try to drive through floodwater or leave it too late to flee? : psychology offers some answers

New South Wales is currently in the grip of one of largest flood events in decades. The NSW SES is helping thousands of people evacuate and has received more than 2,000 calls for help in the last 24 hours. Western Sydney is one of the areas hardest hit, with the Nepean River rising to levels higher than that of the great flood of 1961

Torrential and flash flood warning : general overview and uses of localized hydropower

Over recent years the use of hydrological models for forecasting water-based disasters (WD) has improved flood management capabilities worldwide. However, many of these applications present homogenous and generalized solutions based, in part, on limited data inputs related to incomplete or inaccurate calculation of variables. Furthermore, the focus of such systems is on large-scale areas and as a result, torrential and flash floods that occur mainly at the local level cannot be easily predicted. Consequently, wrong or missed alarms lead to property damage and human losses, especially in remote, riparian areas. This study presents a general overview of hydrological and flood forecasting models that are used in water resources and WD management around the world. It explains why early warning strategies based on these systems often fail at the local level and considers whether localized hydropower applications can be used during WD to power flood early warning systems at this scale. Specifically, it describes the concept of a combined off-grid hydropower generator with localized early warning systems in areas with high flood risk probability and hydropower potential. This system could improve limited flood response mechanisms at the local level and increase the survival rates during extreme WD

Failure to lead on COVID-19 : what went wrong with the United States?

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review the federal decisions to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response in the United States and consider the different approaches employed by the California state government. Design/methodology/approach: This paper focuses on COVID-19-related issues, responses and implications in federal countries, and largely draws comparisons between the Trump Administration and California state. Findings: The slow response of the federal government could have been avoided, had there been a current and tested national plan. The defunding of the Office of Pandemics and Emerging Threats, and the lack of coordination between the Trump Administration and the states have contributed to its ranking as the country with the highest COVID-19 infection and fatality rates worldwide. California state oversaw an effective initial pandemic response, which was ultimately undermined by a lack of national support and the refusal of some citizens to comply with the restrictions. Research limitations/implications: The paper draws upon open-source information published on government websites and news media. Originality/value: As the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is currently ongoing, information about the federal governance and state response is still evolving. The authors examine California as a state exemplar, since it is the largest such jurisdiction by populace and the first state to issue statewide mandatory lockdown measures. This comparison offers insights as to the decisive initiatives that could have occurred at the federal level. The “lessons learned” highlight the critical role of crisis leadership in societal and public health preparedness for future pandemic events

Future role aspirations, achievement motivations and perceptions of personal help-seeking among humanitarian aid trainees

Humanitarian aid workers experience adverse mental health effects from their work at higher rates than the military, police and other emergency service personnel. Whilst there is considerable literature investigating risk and resilience factors for workers within this field, little is known about the status of such factors among individuals prior to their joining the profession. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten commencing undergraduates of a Bachelor of Humanitarian and Development Studies course to explore their aspirations and resilience factors regarding future work. Thematic analysis identified that whilst there was a high level of reported altruism among trainees, these perceptions appeared to constrain individual use of social support networks and help-seeking behaviours. Education and training appeared to shift future work preferences from humanitarian relief work towards development-related roles. The findings suggest that humanitarian aid trainees exhibit known risk and resilience factors before they enter the profession, whilst highlighting practice expectations and personal support perceptions that are amenable to positive change through training