Allen J1
1Canadian Physiotherapy Association, Global Health Division, Edmonton, Canada
Background: Physiotherapists are at risk during their careers for burnout or emotional exhaustion. Humanitarian workers (HW), including physiotherapists, are known to experience higher levels of trauma and burnout and are affected by post traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety at higher rates than the general population. Further, chronic high levels of stress, such as those caused by acute stressors after traumatic events including after conflict and natural disasters, can also cause a deterioration in mental health. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees published a guide on mental health and psychosocial support for staff in 2013. However, while the World Confederation for Physical Therapy created guidelines for the role of physiotherapy post-disaster in 2016, there are no guidelines for how physiotherapists should maintain their mental health while engaging in humanitarian work. Mental health in physiotherapist HW has not been studied. As globalization and humanitarian crises continue, it is important to address the mental health of physiotherapist HW.
Purpose: To understand the high rates of mental health challenges faced by physiotherapist HW and what may be done on individual and organizational levels to mitigate the high levels of burnout and trauma physiotherapist HW face during their work.
Methods: Through a review of the relevant literature, international policies and by eliciting opinions from experts in the field, the reasons why HW including physiotherapists face higher levels of burnout and trauma than the general population were illuminated.
Results: On the level of the individual, HW including physiotherapists who are most at risk for burnout were identified to be those who seek perfection in their work, have high expectations of the organizations they work for and believe their work is in alignment with their own values of making a difference. HW may face many challenges related to living space, isolation, security, exposure to the suffering of individuals who have been affected by conflict or natural disasters, difficult working relationships, barriers to achieving work goals, power imbalances within hierarchical work structures and limited access to support. HW were recommended to manage their expectations within their roles, engage in self care activities and be aware of the signs of mental health deterioration to seek help early. On the organizational level, organizations, especially large ones, may be highly bureaucratic and dysfunctional. It has been recommended that organizations train staff regarding the risks of mental illness related to humanitarian work, integrate mental health support into their staff care programs (before, during and after-mission), decrease bureaucracy and create cultures of support through addressing power imbalances and staff inequities. Job descriptions are recommended to be realistic and equitable.
Conclusion(s): HW including physiotherapists are at a high risk of experiencing mental health issues and several recommendations have been made to mitigate these risks. Research is needed to determine whether or not individuals or organizations are implementing these recommendations and their effectiveness at improving the mental health of HW including physiotherapists.
Implications: The recommendations to improve mental health for humanitarian workers should be considered for adoption by HW including physiotherapists and the organizations employing them.
Keywords: mental health, global health, humanitarian work
Funding acknowledgements: None
Purpose: To understand the high rates of mental health challenges faced by physiotherapist HW and what may be done on individual and organizational levels to mitigate the high levels of burnout and trauma physiotherapist HW face during their work.
Methods: Through a review of the relevant literature, international policies and by eliciting opinions from experts in the field, the reasons why HW including physiotherapists face higher levels of burnout and trauma than the general population were illuminated.
Results: On the level of the individual, HW including physiotherapists who are most at risk for burnout were identified to be those who seek perfection in their work, have high expectations of the organizations they work for and believe their work is in alignment with their own values of making a difference. HW may face many challenges related to living space, isolation, security, exposure to the suffering of individuals who have been affected by conflict or natural disasters, difficult working relationships, barriers to achieving work goals, power imbalances within hierarchical work structures and limited access to support. HW were recommended to manage their expectations within their roles, engage in self care activities and be aware of the signs of mental health deterioration to seek help early. On the organizational level, organizations, especially large ones, may be highly bureaucratic and dysfunctional. It has been recommended that organizations train staff regarding the risks of mental illness related to humanitarian work, integrate mental health support into their staff care programs (before, during and after-mission), decrease bureaucracy and create cultures of support through addressing power imbalances and staff inequities. Job descriptions are recommended to be realistic and equitable.
Conclusion(s): HW including physiotherapists are at a high risk of experiencing mental health issues and several recommendations have been made to mitigate these risks. Research is needed to determine whether or not individuals or organizations are implementing these recommendations and their effectiveness at improving the mental health of HW including physiotherapists.
Implications: The recommendations to improve mental health for humanitarian workers should be considered for adoption by HW including physiotherapists and the organizations employing them.
Keywords: mental health, global health, humanitarian work
Funding acknowledgements: None
Topic: Disability & rehabilitation; Globalisation: health systems, policies & strategies; Disaster management
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: not applicable
Ethics committee: not applicable
Reason not required: There were no study participants. Informal discussions were completed with field experts and their opinions were included in the recommendations, given the paucity of literature and how small the number of humanitarian workers is.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
