Franziska Lechner-Meichsner, Hannah Comtesse, Marie Olk
{"title":"Prevalence, comorbidities, and factors associated with prolonged grief disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder and complex posttraumatic stress disorder in refugees: a systematic review","authors":"Franziska Lechner-Meichsner, Hannah Comtesse, Marie Olk","doi":"10.1186/s13031-024-00586-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-024-00586-5","url":null,"abstract":"The number of refugees worldwide is at an all-time high with many being exposed to potentially traumatic events and the loss of loved ones. The 11th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems now includes prolonged grief disorder and complex posttraumatic stress disorder and revised criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder. An overview of these stress-related disorders among people who have become refugees is therefore needed. Consequently, we conducted a systematic review to determine prevalence rates, comorbidities, and associated factors for each of the disorders. We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycArticles to identify studies that reported prevalence rates, predictors or associated factors, and/or comorbid mental disorders for either (1) prolonged grief disorder, (2) posttraumatic stress disorder, or (3) complex posttraumatic stress disorder among refugees. The selection process followed the PRISMA guidelines. A total of 36 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies were of high quality. There was substantial variation in prevalence rates by disorder, with prolonged grief ranging from 6 to 54%, posttraumatic stress disorder ranging from 0.4 to 80%, and complex posttraumatic stress disorder ranging from 3 to 74.6%. Pooled prevalence for posttraumatic stress disorder was estimated at 29.8% in treatment seeking samples and 9.92% in population samples. For complex posttraumatic stress disorder, it was estimated at 57.4% in treatment seeking samples and 7.8% in population samples. Posttraumatic stress disorder was among the most frequent comorbidities for prolonged grief disorder while depressive symptoms were the most frequently occurring co-morbidity across all three disorders. Sociodemographic variables, trauma exposure, and loss characteristics were associated with higher symptom severity. Postmigration living difficulties played an important role in prolonged grief and complex posttraumatic stress disorder. The review revealed substantial differences in prevalence rates between the three studied disorders but underscored a very high prevalence of ICD-11 stress-related disorders among refugees. The identified associated factors point to subgroups that may be particularly at risk and establishes a foundational basis for targeted interventions and potential policy changes. Future research should incorporate longitudinal investigations and emphasize culturally sensitive assessments.","PeriodicalId":54287,"journal":{"name":"Conflict and Health","volume":"59 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140592202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How integration of refugees into national health systems became a global priority: a qualitative policy analysis","authors":"Shatha Elnakib, Caitlin Jackson, Ummekulsoom Lalani, Yusra Ribhi Shawar, Sara Bennett","doi":"10.1186/s13031-024-00587-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-024-00587-4","url":null,"abstract":"Despite a long history of political discourse around refugee integration, it wasn’t until 2016 that this issue emerged as a global political priority. Limited research has examined the evolution of policies of global actors around health service provision to refugees and how refugee integration into health systems came onto the global agenda. This study seeks to fill this gap. Drawing on a document review of 20 peer-reviewed articles, 46 global policies and reports, and 18 semi-structured interviews with actors representing various bilateral, multilateral and non-governmental organizations involved with refugee health policy and funding, we analyze factors that have shaped the global policy priority of integration. We use the Shiffman and Smith Policy Framework on determinants of political priority to organize our findings. Several important factors generated global priority for refugee integration into national health systems. Employing the above-mentioned framework, actor power increased due to network expansion through collaborations between humanitarian and development actors. Ideas took hold through the framing of integration as a human rights and responsibility sharing. While political context was influenced through several global movements, it was ultimately the influx of Syrian refugees into Europe and the increasing securitization of the refugee crisis that led to key policies, and critically, global funding to support integration within refugee hosting nations. Finally, issue characteristics, namely the magnitude of the global refugee crisis, its protractedness and the increasing urbanicity of refugee inflows, led integration to emerge as a manageable solution. The past decade has seen a substantial reframing of refugee integration, along with increased financing sources and increased collaboration, explains this shift towards their integration into health systems. However, despite the emergence of integration as a global political priority, the extent to which efforts around integration have translated into action at the national level remains uncertain.","PeriodicalId":54287,"journal":{"name":"Conflict and Health","volume":"59 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140592424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shatha Elnakib, Laila Akhu-Zaheya, Wejdan Khater, Lama Bou-Karroum, Gladys Honein-AbouHaidar, Sabine Salameh, Yusra Ribhi Shawar, Paul Spiegel
{"title":"The emergence and regression of political priority for refugee integration into the Jordanian health system: an analysis using the Kingdon’s multiple streams model","authors":"Shatha Elnakib, Laila Akhu-Zaheya, Wejdan Khater, Lama Bou-Karroum, Gladys Honein-AbouHaidar, Sabine Salameh, Yusra Ribhi Shawar, Paul Spiegel","doi":"10.1186/s13031-024-00588-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-024-00588-3","url":null,"abstract":"The prolonged presence of Syrian refugees in Jordan has highlighted the need for sustainable health service delivery models for refugees. In 2012, the Jordanian government adopted a policy that granted Syrian refugees access, free of charge, to the national health system. However since 2012, successive policy revisions have limited refugee access. This paper seeks to understand factors that initially put refugee integration into the health system on the policy agenda, as well as how these same factors later affected commitment to sustain the policy. This paper draws on data from a document review of 197 peer-reviewed and grey literature publications, a media analysis of newspaper articles retrieved from four officially recognized newspapers in Jordan, and 33 semi-structured key informant interviews. We used Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Model – a well-established tool for analyzing policy adoption – to understand how political priority developed for integration of refugees into the health system. We find that several factors helped bring attention to the issue, namely concerns over infectious disease transmission to host communities, high rates of chronic conditions among the refugee population and the increasingly urban and dispersed nature of refugees. At the outset of the conflict, the national mood was receptive to refugees. Politicians and government officials quickly recognized the crisis as an opportunity to secure material and technical support from the international humanitarian community. At the same time, global pressures for integrating refugees into national health systems helped move the integration agenda forward in Jordan and the region more broadly. Since 2012, there were several modifications to the policy that signal profound changes in national views around the continued presence of Syrian refugees in the country, as well as reduced external financial support which has undermined the sustainability of the policy. This case study underscores the dynamic nature of policymaking and the challenge of sustaining government commitment to the right to health among refugees. Our analysis has important implications for advocates seeking to advance and maintain momentum for the integration of refugees into national health systems.","PeriodicalId":54287,"journal":{"name":"Conflict and Health","volume":"204 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140592401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"War related disruption of clinical tuberculosis services in Tigray, Ethiopia during the recent regional conflict: a mixed sequential method study","authors":"Kibrom Gebreselasie Gebrehiwot, Gebremedhin Berhe Gebregergis, Measho Gebreslasie Gebregziabher, Teklay Gebrecherkos, Wegen Beyene Tesfamariam, Hailay Gebretnsae, Gebregziabher Berihu, Letebrhan Weldemhret, Goyitom Gebremedhn, Tsegay Wellay, Hadish Bekuretsion, Aregay Gebremedhin, Tesfay Gebregzabher Gebrehiwet, Gebretsadik Berhe","doi":"10.1186/s13031-024-00583-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-024-00583-8","url":null,"abstract":"More than 70% of the health facilities in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, have been totally or partially destroyed by the recent war in the region. Diagnosis and management of tuberculosis were among many health services that suffered. In this study we assess the status of tuberculosis care in health facilities of Tigray during the recent war and compare it with the immediate pre-war state. Using sequential mixed method, we analyzed and compared the availability of diagnostic services in 69 health facilities and the utilization of tuberculosis care in 50 of them immediately before the war (September-October 2020) and during the war (November-July 2021). TB focal persons in each selected health facility were interviewed to evaluate the status of diagnostic services. Patient service utilization was assessed using health facility registrations. We also compared the average monthly case detection rate of multidrug resistant tuberculosis in the region before and during the war. We computed summary statistics and performed comparisons using t-tests. Finally, existing challenges related to tuberculosis care in the region were explored via in-depth interviews. Two investigators openly coded and analyzed the qualitative data independently via thematic analysis. Among the 69 health facilities randomly selected, the registers of 19 facilities were destroyed by the war; data from the remaining 50 facilities were included in the TB service utilization analysis. In the first month of the war (November 2021) the number of tuberculosis patients visiting health facilities fell 34%. Subsequently the visitation rate improved steadily, but not to pre-war rates. This reduction was significant in northwest, central and eastern zones. Tuberculosis care in rural areas was hit hardest. Prior to the war 60% of tuberculosis patients were served in rural clinics; this number dropped to an average of 17% during the war. Health facilities were systematically looted. Of the 69 institutions assessed, over 69% of the microscopes in health centers, 87.5% of the microscopes in primary hospitals, and 68% of the microscopes in general hospitals were stolen or damaged. Two GeneXpert nucleic acid amplification machines were also taken from general hospitals. Regarding drug resistant TB, the average number of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) cases detected per month was reduced by 41% during the war with p-value < 0.001. In-depth interviews with eight health care workers indicated that the main factors affecting tuberculosis care in the area were lack of security, health facility destruction, theft of essential equipment, and drug supply disruption. Many tuberculosis patients failed to visit health facilities during the war. There was substantial physical damage to health care facilities and systematic looting of diagnostic equipment. Restoring basic public services and revitalizing clinical care for tuberculosis need urgent consideration.","PeriodicalId":54287,"journal":{"name":"Conflict and Health","volume":"69 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140592420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Valia Marou, Constantine I. Vardavas, Katerina Aslanoglou, Katerina Nikitara, Zinovia Plyta, Jo Leonardi-Bee, Kirsty Atkins, Orla Condell, Favelle Lamb, Jonathan E. Suk
{"title":"The impact of conflict on infectious disease: a systematic literature review","authors":"Valia Marou, Constantine I. Vardavas, Katerina Aslanoglou, Katerina Nikitara, Zinovia Plyta, Jo Leonardi-Bee, Kirsty Atkins, Orla Condell, Favelle Lamb, Jonathan E. Suk","doi":"10.1186/s13031-023-00568-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-023-00568-z","url":null,"abstract":"Conflict situations, armed or not, have been associated with emergence and transmission of infectious diseases. This review aims to identify the pathways through which infectious diseases emerge within conflict situations and to outline appropriate infectious disease preparedness and response strategies. A systematic review was performed representing published evidence from January 2000 to October 2023. Ovid Medline and Embase were utilised to obtain literature on infectious diseases in any conflict settings. The systematic review adhered to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis). No geographical restrictions were imposed. Our review identified 51 studies covering AIDS, Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis, Cholera, Coronavirus 2, Ebola, Poliomyelitis, Malaria, Leishmaniasis, Measles, Diphtheria, Dengue and Acute Bacterial Meningitis within conflict settings in Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Africa since October 2023. Key factors contributing to disease emergence and transmission in conflict situations included population displacement, destruction of vital infrastructure, reduction in functioning healthcare systems and healthcare personnel, disruption of disease control programmes (including reduced surveillance, diagnostic delays, and interrupted vaccinations), reduced access by healthcare providers to populations within areas of active conflict, increased population vulnerability due to limited access to healthcare services, and disruptions in the supply chain of safe water, food, and medication. To mitigate these infectious disease risks reported preparedness and response strategies included both disease-specific intervention strategies as well as broader concepts such as the education of conflict-affected populations through infectious disease awareness programmes, investing in and enabling health care in locations with displaced populations, intensifying immunisation campaigns, and ensuring political commitment and intersectoral collaborations between governments and international organisations. Conflict plays a direct and indirect role in the transmission and propagation of infectious diseases. The findings from this review can assist decision-makers in the development of evidence-based preparedness and response strategies for the timely and effective containment of infectious disease outbreaks in conflict zones and amongst conflict-driven displaced populations. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control under specific contract No. 22 ECD.13,154 within Framework contract ECDC/2019/001 Lot 1B.","PeriodicalId":54287,"journal":{"name":"Conflict and Health","volume":"69 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140592262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Felix Holl, Lauren Clarke, Thomas Raffort, Elvire Serres, Laura Archer, Panu Saaristo
{"title":"The Red Cross Red Crescent Health Information System (RCHIS): an electronic medical records and health information management system for the red cross red crescent emergency response units","authors":"Felix Holl, Lauren Clarke, Thomas Raffort, Elvire Serres, Laura Archer, Panu Saaristo","doi":"10.1186/s13031-024-00585-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-024-00585-6","url":null,"abstract":"The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (RCRC) utilizes specialized Emergency Response Units (ERUs) for international disaster response. However, data collection and reporting within ERUs have been time-consuming and paper-based. The Red Cross Red Crescent Health Information System (RCHIS) was developed to improve clinical documentation and reporting, ensuring accuracy and ease of use while increasing compliance with reporting standards. RCHIS is an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and Health Information System (HIS) designed for RCRC ERUs. It can be accessed on Android tablets or Windows laptops, both online and offline. The system securely stores data on Microsoft Azure cloud, with synchronization facilitated through a local ERU server. The functional architecture covers all clinical functions of ERU clinics and hospitals, incorporating user-friendly features. A pilot study was conducted with the Portuguese Red Cross (PRC) during a large-scale event. Thirteen super users were trained and subsequently trained the staff. During the four-day pilot, 77 user accounts were created, and 243 patient files were documented. Feedback indicated that RCHIS was easy to use, requiring minimal training time, and had sufficient training for full utilization. Real-time reporting facilitated coordination with the civil defense authority. The development and pilot use of RCHIS demonstrated its feasibility and efficacy within RCRC ERUs. The system addressed the need for an EMR and HIS solution, enabling comprehensive clinical documentation and supporting administrative reporting functions. The pilot study validated the training of trainers’ approach and paved the way for further domestic use of RCHIS. RCHIS has the potential to improve patient safety, quality of care, and reporting efficiency within ERUs. Automated reporting reduces the burden on ERU leadership, while electronic compilation enhances record completeness and correctness. Ongoing feedback collection and feature development continue to enhance RCHIS’s functionality. Further trainings took place in 2023 and preparations for international deployments are under way. RCHIS represents a significant step toward improved emergency medical care and coordination within the RCRC and has implications for similar systems in other Emergency Medical Teams.","PeriodicalId":54287,"journal":{"name":"Conflict and Health","volume":"42 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140592200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wesam S. Ahmed, Abdulsalam M. Halboup, Arwa Alshargabi, Ahmed Al-mohamadi, Yousf K. Al-Ashbat, Sayida Al-Jamei
{"title":"Attitudes, motivators, and barriers toward influenza vaccination for children: a study from a conflict-ridden country","authors":"Wesam S. Ahmed, Abdulsalam M. Halboup, Arwa Alshargabi, Ahmed Al-mohamadi, Yousf K. Al-Ashbat, Sayida Al-Jamei","doi":"10.1186/s13031-024-00590-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-024-00590-9","url":null,"abstract":"Despite the increased recommendations for influenza vaccination, particularly among high-risk groups such as young children, Yemen lacks an influenza vaccination program, and the influenza vaccine is not included in the national immunization regime. This is exacerbated by the country’s fragile infrastructure, as well as the devastating consequences of the ongoing conflict, which include child undernutrition and strained healthcare resources. Thus, the objective of the current study is to assess the public attitudes and perceptions toward vaccinating children against influenza in Yemen. A cross-sectional study was conducted by distributing a validated survey questionnaire to potential participants using convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize sociodemographic data, knowledge of influenza vaccines, and attitudes and perceptions regarding vaccinating children against influenza. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify associations between independent variables and the acceptance of vaccines for children. A total of 853 eligible individuals, parents and non-parents, successfully completed the survey. The uptake of the influenza vaccine among the participants was notably low as the majority (69.2%) had not previously received the vaccine, although the majority expressed a willingness to get vaccinated in the future (59.4%). The majority (68.5%) were willing to vaccinate children. The largest percentage of the participants who expressed hesitancy toward children’s vaccination cited multiple reasons to reject the vaccine (39.7%), with concerns regarding the safety of the vaccine being the predominant barrier to its acceptance for children (29.6%). On the other hand, motivating factors for vaccinating children included the validation of the vaccine’s safety and efficacy, endorsement of the vaccine by the government and physicians, integration of the vaccine into the national immunization program, and the provision of the vaccine free of charge and through schools. Significant predictors for vaccine acceptance in children included male gender, knowledge of the protective effect of the influenza vaccine, previous receipt of the vaccine, and a willingness to receive the vaccine in the future. The study highlights the need for educational health campaigns to raise awareness and remove misconceptions regarding influenza and the role, benefits, and availability of its vaccine. These findings can serve as a robust foundation for the future design and implementation of an influenza vaccination program for children in Yemen.","PeriodicalId":54287,"journal":{"name":"Conflict and Health","volume":"69 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140592515","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
María Esperanza Echeverry-López, Alejandra Marín-Uribe, Isabel C. Garcés-Palacio, Yadira Borrero-Ramírez, Dora María Hernández-Holguin, Carlos Iván Pacheco-Sánchez, Rohini J. Haar
{"title":"Impacts of attacks to female health care workers in three territories of Colombia","authors":"María Esperanza Echeverry-López, Alejandra Marín-Uribe, Isabel C. Garcés-Palacio, Yadira Borrero-Ramírez, Dora María Hernández-Holguin, Carlos Iván Pacheco-Sánchez, Rohini J. Haar","doi":"10.1186/s13031-024-00582-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-024-00582-9","url":null,"abstract":"This study explores the impacts of attacks perpetrated in the context of armed conflict, to female health workers in three Colombian territories. We conducted a document review of the reports and databases of the Colombian Truth Commission, 17 in-depth semi-structured interviews with experts on the national and regional armed conflict and the medical mission, and 26 female health workers who were victims of attacks. Experts and female health workers reported attacks to health activities, facilities, equipment, and personnel, including attacks to traditional doctors belonging to indigenous communities. The most frequent attacks were threats and retention of health personnel; theft of supplies and medicines; damage and use of infrastructure and means of transport for purposes other than health care; and hinderance of health service provision. The attacks occurred in a framework of structural violence that intersects with poverty, racism, and gender bias. The impacts of these attacks include gender-based violence, significant disruption of the lives of health workers, and physical, emotional, psychological, social, and economic effects on the victims and their families. The government response to protect victims and populations has been absent or insufficient. Attacks to health care were reported in all the studied territories obstructing adequate health care. Impacts of these attacks affect negatively the professional and personal life of the workers and are aggravated by structural violence and absent or little institutional response.","PeriodicalId":54287,"journal":{"name":"Conflict and Health","volume":"48 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140592266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yara Asi, David Mills, P. Gregg Greenough, Dennis Kunichoff, Saira Khan, Jamon Van Den Hoek, Corey Scher, Saleem Halabi, Sawsan Abdulrahim, Nadine Bahour, A. Kayum Ahmed, Bram Wispelwey, Weeam Hammoudeh
{"title":"‘Nowhere and no one is safe’: spatial analysis of damage to critical civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip during the first phase of the Israeli military campaign, 7 October to 22 November 2023","authors":"Yara Asi, David Mills, P. Gregg Greenough, Dennis Kunichoff, Saira Khan, Jamon Van Den Hoek, Corey Scher, Saleem Halabi, Sawsan Abdulrahim, Nadine Bahour, A. Kayum Ahmed, Bram Wispelwey, Weeam Hammoudeh","doi":"10.1186/s13031-024-00580-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-024-00580-x","url":null,"abstract":"Since the Hamas attacks in Israel on 7 October 2023, the Israeli military has launched an assault in the Gaza Strip, which included over 12,000 targets struck and over 25,000 tons of incendiary munitions used by 2 November 2023. The objectives of this study include: (1) the descriptive and inferential spatial analysis of damage to critical civilian infrastructure (health, education, and water facilities) across the Gaza Strip during the first phase of the military campaign, defined as 7 October to 22 November 2023 and (2) the analysis of damage clustering around critical civilian infrastructure to explore broader questions about Israel’s adherence to International Humanitarian Law (IHL). We applied multi-temporal coherent change detection on Copernicus Sentinel 1-A Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery to detect signals indicative of damage to the built environment through 22 November 2023. Specific locations of health, education, and water facilities were delineated using open-source building footprint and cross-checked with geocoded data from OCHA, OpenStreetMap, and Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team. We then assessed the retrieval of damage at and with close proximity to sites of health, education, and water infrastructure in addition to designated evacuation corridors and civilian protection zones. The Global Moran’s I autocorrelation inference statistic was used to determine whether health, education, and water facility infrastructure damage was spatially random or clustered. During the period under investigation, in the entire Gaza Strip, 60.8% (n = 59) of health, 68.2% (n = 324) of education, and 42.1% (n = 64) of water facilities sustained infrastructure damage. Furthermore, 35.1% (n = 34) of health, 40.2% (n = 191) of education, and 36.8% (n = 56) of water facilities were functionally destroyed. Applying the Global Moran’s I spatial inference statistic to facilities demonstrated a high degree of damage clustering for all three types of critical civilian infrastructure, with Z-scores indicating < 1% likelihood of cluster damage occurring by random chance. Spatial statistical analysis suggests widespread damage to critical civilian infrastructure that should have been provided protection under IHL. These findings raise serious allegations about the violation of IHL, especially in light of Israeli officials’ statements explicitly inciting violence and displacement and multiple widely reported acts of collective punishment.","PeriodicalId":54287,"journal":{"name":"Conflict and Health","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140592426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Esra Abdallah Abdalwahed Mahgoub, Amna Khairy, Samar Osman, Musab Babiker Haga, Sarah Hashim Mohammed Osman, Abubker Mohammed Abbu Hassan, Hala Kamal, Ayia Babiker
{"title":"War and education: the attacks on medical schools amidst ongoing armed conflict, Sudan 2023.","authors":"Esra Abdallah Abdalwahed Mahgoub, Amna Khairy, Samar Osman, Musab Babiker Haga, Sarah Hashim Mohammed Osman, Abubker Mohammed Abbu Hassan, Hala Kamal, Ayia Babiker","doi":"10.1186/s13031-024-00584-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13031-024-00584-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>War results in widespread destruction of a country's infrastructure, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions. This study aims to assess the attacks on medical schools amidst the ongoing conflict in Sudan.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted across 58 medical schools located in the states of Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan. Data on attacks between April 15, 2023, and July 15th 2023, were collected using online data collection form.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All medical schools in conflict areas were included in the study. More than half (58.6%) of these medical schools were attacked. Private schools, constituting the majority of the study sample, were the most frequently attacked (70.6%). Of these, 52.9% were located in Khartoum city. More than one form of attack was reported in 64.7% of the affected schools. Looting occurred in 73.5% of the attacked faculties, while 67.6% of them were converted into military bases. Despite these challenges, 60.3% of the schools in the conflict zone managed to restore the educational process through online learning and collaboration with other institutions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>During a three-month period of warfare, most medical schools within conflict zones were attacked. This emphasizes the vulnerability of medical education institutions during war and highlights the urgent need of the Ministry of Higher Education interventions to provide leadership, support, and oversight for the educational process in medical schools across the country.</p>","PeriodicalId":54287,"journal":{"name":"Conflict and Health","volume":"18 1","pages":"23"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10979604/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140319923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}