EiJ Hazards
Digital collection focused on environmental injustice hazards.
Digital collection focused on environmental injustice hazards.
Thae laws are examined and explained to the reader. Examples of citations from physicians are also included with stories of the individual's journey and experiences.
Scott G. Knowles: Department of History Head, Associate Professor in the Center for Science, Technology, and Society at Drexel University. Dr. Knowles specifically focuses on disaster, risk, and technological history. Multiple publications also extend into public policy, modern disaster response, and future risks.
The majority of information in the report comes from interviews performed by Dr. Good himself while on a medical trip in the Middle East. The article also includes stories and tales from other professionals as well; as such, the report encompasses not just experiences with epilepsy in the Middle East, but a multitude of diseases among unique cultural settings.
The study addresses the survivors of Katrina fairly soon after the disaster, at a time when they likely do not have much stability. Many were without homes, may have lost family or friends, neighborhoods were torn apart, schools were destroyed, and money was very thin. It was not an easy time, so focusing on this group at such a stressful time was the goal of the study.
The program appears to be popular with both lawmakers and the public. Unfortunately, coverage of the organization appears to mostly come from articles about the founding physicians-- often in the form of alumni news. The foundation's home webpage does link to several outside articles and news sources involving relevant topics in prison health care. There also appears to be an on-going series in The Lancet focusing on HIV/AIDs, a main component of the Center's mission. Moreover, the Center seems to serve as a fantastic resource for the Warren Alpert Medical School students, as the school maintains a longstanding tradition of involvement in Rhode Island public health
The article appears to be a compilation of ethnographic work from various humanitarian organizations in the US, France, and Morocco. The author had first-hand experience working on projects with these organizations at these locations, and thus utilizes this perspective for the majority of the work. She supplements her assertions with data from other recent publications from these organizations, studies by independent researchers, and media analysis.
This article has been referenced in other articles that study disaster PTSD, mental health after hosting refugees from a disaster, and using epidemolody to help draft policies for disaster response. These papers all further the research and possible benefits for humanity.
Emily Goldmann, PhD, MPH: assistant research professor of Global Public Health at NYU College of Global Public Health. Previous research includes work within several public health consulting firms and employment in the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in the Bureau of Adult Mental Health; this work included surveillance of psychological distress, metal illness, hospitalization, and rapid assessment of mental health conditions following hurricane Sandy.
Sandro Galea MD, MPH, DrPH: a Canadian/American board-certified emergency medicine physician and epidemiologist, Dr. Galea is the current dean of the BU School of Public Health and former chair of Epidemiology at Mailman School of Public Health (Columbia University). His research primarily centers on social production of health within urban populations, including mental health disorders such as mood-anxiety and substance abuse; extensive publications exploring health inequalities, epidemiology, and health within vulnerable populations. Dr. Galea has served on numerous boards and committees analyzing the consequences of mass traumas, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and numerous international conflicts.
Information provided by the AWSD (Aid Worker Security Database), there were 251 individual attacks in 2013. This, and the subsequent 460 workers involved or affected, is in no way separated according to the aid work the individuals participated in. Thus, all 251 attacks may have been aimed at health care clinics, but only 50 of those injured may have been health care workers; the rest may have been members of peacekeeping forces. Further more, which members of the health care system are being harmed is extremely useful in future aid endeavors. Knowing who is targeted or particularly vulnerable could make the difference in the next incident.
Moreover, any data that is available can be difficult or complicated to obtain. Outside of the nuances of procuring data from different corporations or foundations, many organizations have individual categories for reporting incidents. They may even have different definitions of attacks and incidents-- eerily similar to how German and US officials view sexual assault in different lenses (German officials may often be disinclined to act unless penetration occurs, while US officials have been known to prosecute or bring charges for offenses such as groping).
These definition differences may also lead to an under reporting of incidents. While most available data contains information about abductions or fatalities, very little data can be accessed pertaining to threats or obstructions. This may also color how and what aid workers report; knowing that an incident did not culminate in a kidnapping or death may lead workers to be less inclined to report these issues, for fear of not being taken seriously. Aid workers may also feel that, during some stressful circumstances, reporting something that could be constituted as "mild" would only be a waste of time and resource.