Research Priorities in Humanitarian Settings

September 23, 2011

New Yale global health research focuses on the development of research priorities to strengthen mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings.  Wietse Tol, postdoctoral associate and lecturer, Global Health Initiative, and Catherine Panter-Brick, professor of anthropology, health and global affairs, along with co-authors, recently published a paper, titled “Research Priorities for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Humanitarian Settings” in PLoS Medicine (Public Library of Science Medicine).  Their research agenda brings together both researchers and practitioners to produce immediate and tangible benefits for programs in humanitarian settings, with particular sensitivity to sociocultural context.  The paper incorporates the experiences of over 80 experts including academics, policy makers and practitioners, to create an interdisciplinary and effective approach.  Ten priority research questions are emphasized, including problem analysis, mental health and psychosocial interventions, research and information management, and mental health and psychosocial support context. The paper concludes that this “research priority setting initiative showed promising points of agreement between diverse stakeholders on research priorities for mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings.”

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