Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T08:06:19.814Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Medical Relief Personnel in Complex Emergencies: Perceptions of Effectiveness in the Former Yugoslavia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Michael J. VanRooyen ,
M. James Eliades ,
Jurek G. Grabowski ,
M.E. Stress ,
Josip Juric  and
Frederick M. Burkle Jr.
Michael J. VanRooyen*
Affiliation:
The Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine, Center for International Emergency Medicine Studies, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
M. James Eliades
Affiliation:
The Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine, Center for International Emergency Medicine Studies, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Jurek G. Grabowski
Affiliation:
The Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine, Center for International Emergency Medicine Studies, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
M.E. Stress
Affiliation:
The Chicago Medical School FUHS, Department of Clinical Psychology, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
Josip Juric
Affiliation:
State Hospital of Sarajevo, Department of Neurosurgery, Sarajevo, Bosnia
Frederick M. Burkle Jr.
Affiliation:
The Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine, Center for International Emergency Medicine Studies, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
*
Center for International Emergency, Disaster and Refugee Studies, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1830 E. Monument St., Suite 6-100, Baltimore, MD 21287 USA, E-mail: mvanrooy@jhmi.edu
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Humanitarian medical assistance and intervention during the civil war in Bosnia and Croatia was felt by national health workers to be relatively ineffective (2.8 on a 5-point Likert scale), compared to other forms of humanitarian assistance such as medical supplies (4.4/5) and non-medical materials (3.9/5). Bosnian physicians treating civilians noted that the most helpful types of personnel were surgeons and emergency physicians. This study suggests that assessment of personnel needs at the recipient level, in addition to standard relief assessments, is required early in models of complex emergencies. This study supports existing epidemiological models of complex emergencies, especially when high trauma-related mortality and morbidity are likely to occur.

Keywords

assessmentBosniacomplex emergencyconflictCroatiaepidemiologyhealth carehumanitarian assistancemedical reliefmodelsepidemiologicalmortalityneedspersonneltraumawarYugoslavia
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 16 , Issue 3 , September 2001 , pp. 145 - 149
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2001

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

1. Burkholder, BT, Toole, MJ: Evolution of complex emergencies. Lancet 1995;346:1012–1014.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2. Boss, LP, Toole, MJ, Yip, R: Assessment of mortality, morbidity and nutritional status in Somalia during the 1991-92 famine: Recommendations for standardization of methods. JAMA 1994;272:371–376.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Spiegel, PB, Salama, P: Emergencies in developed countries: Are aid organizations ready to adapt? Lancet, 2001;357(9257):714CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4. World Bank Document: Bosnia-Herzegovina Country Overview. World Bank Group. 1997 pp 1–3.Google Scholar
5. Berckmans, P, Dawans, V, Schmets, G, Vandenbergh, D: Inappropriate drug donation practices in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1992–1996. N Eng J Med 1997;337(25):1842–1845.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Michael, M: Medical supplies donated to hospitals in Bosnia and Croatia, 1994–1995 Report of a survey evaluating humanitarian aid in war. JAMA 1996;276(5):364–368.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. Roberts, L: Mortality in Eastern DRC: Results from Five Mortality Surveys. New York, NY: International Rescue Committee; 2000.Google Scholar
8. VanRooyen, MJ, Sloan, EP, Radvany, AE, Peric, T, Kulis, B, Tabak, V: The incidence and outcome of penetrating and blunt trauma in central Bosnia: The Nova Bila Hospital for War Wounded. J Trauma 1995:38(6);863–866.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Jean, F: Populations in Danger 1995: A Medecins Sans Frontieres Report. La Decouverte Pub, 1995: pp 71–82.Google Scholar
10. Pyles, JR, Lasseter, JA, Lundqvist, RA: Rebuilding in Bosnia: International Medical Corps, Bosnia Project Emergency Medicine Development Program, Zenica, Herzegovina. Ann Emerg Med 1996;27(4):531–532.Google Scholar
11. Geiger, HJ, Cook-Deegan, RM: The role of physicians in conflict and humanitarian crisis. Case studies from the field missions of Physicians for Human Rights, 1988 to 1993. JAMA 1993;270(5):616–620.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12. Lamont-Gregory, E, Henry, CJ, Ryan, TJ: Evidence based humanitarian relief interventions. 1995;346(8970):312–313.Google ScholarPubMed
13. Taylor, CE: Changing patterns in international health: Motivation and relationships. Am J Pub Health 1979;69(8):803–808.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14. VanRooyen, M, Eliades, J, Stress, M, Grabowski, G et al. : Perceived effectiveness of international medical personnel working in Bosnia. JAMA 1999;282(5)428–429.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed