The professionalization of humanitarian health assistance: report of a survey on what humanitarian health workers tell us.
BACKGROUND
While the number of humanitarian health workers has grown considerably along with the emphasis on evidence-based humanitarian practice over the last 15 years, no organization exists to ensure ongoing professionalization of this area of expertise.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether and to what degree the community of humanitarian health workers self-identify as a professional group; whether a need for a professional society exists to support such a group; and if so, what fundamental elements and activities should it encompass and provide.


METHODS
A humanitarian, listserv-based survey was undertaken to evaluate humanitarian professional self-identification, needs for and interest in professional support functions, and priorities toward developing a professional organization to provide needed services.


RESULTS
The resulting respondent population represented a broad distribution of age and experience with education and experience being equally important factors in defining humanitarian health professionals. Respondents viewed themselves as humanitarian professionals nearly to the extent they viewed themselves as health-specific technical experts who happen to work in humanitarian assistance; they expressed a strong desire to establish a professional society reflecting that self-identification; and that body should focus on activities of education and training, networking and dialogue, and developing and refining core competencies to support best practices.


CONCLUSIONS
Humanitarian health workers self-identify as professionals in humanitarian assistance and as technical experts. A professional organization with specific support functions would be of interest to many humanitarian health professionals.
Kene
Mamata
M
Division of International Health and Humanitarian Programs, Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Pack
Mary E
ME
Greenough
P Gregg
PG
Burkle
Frederick M
FM
D000533:Altruism; D003625:Data Collection; D004189:Disaster Planning; D014943:Global Health; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans