Characteristics, determinants and perspectives of experienced medical humanitarians: a qualitative approach.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To explore the characteristics, motivations, ideologies, experience and perspectives of experienced medical humanitarian workers.

Design

We applied a qualitative descriptive approach and conducted in-depth semistructured interviews, containing open-ended questions with directing probes, with 44 experienced international medical aid workers from a wide range of humanitarian organisations. Interviews were coded and analysed, and themes were developed.

Setting

International non-governmental organisations (INGOs) and United Nations (UN).

Results

61% of participants were female; mean age was 41.8 years with an average of 11.8 years of humanitarian work experience with diverse major INGOs. Significant core themes included: population's rights to assistance,

SUBMITTER: Asgary R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4265098 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature