The Humanitarian Health Evidence Review

The Humanitarian Health Evidence Review is an evidence review of research on health interventions in humanitarian crises. It confirms the need for further research to strengthen the evidence base on public health interventions in humanitarian crises.

Background

In 2013 R2HC commissioned the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) to conduct an assessment of the evidence-base that informs global public health programming in humanitarian crises, and to identify priority areas for new research.

Building on this, LSHTM have updated the initial review to provide valuable guidance to the humanitarian health community on the effectiveness and delivery methods used in a range of health sectors such as water, sanitation and hygiene; nutrition; communicable disease control; and sexual and reproductive health.

Associated with the review LSHTM has written papers on injury and rehabilitation, WASH, non communicable diseases and SRH.

The report provides a rigorous assessment of the current quality and depth of the evidence base that informs humanitarian public health programming globally. The R2HC programme aims to address the need for stronger evidence by funding research and facilitating partnerships between research institutions and humanitarian organisations.

R2HC also commissioned an assessment in 2018 of the evidence base behind the Sphere Handbook’s indicators for WASH, Food Security and Nutrition, and Health Action, as compared to evidence collated in the Humanitarian Health Evidence Review. The paper can be found here.

Listen to Dr Karl Blanchet discusses the need for better quality evidence to inform public health interventions during humanitarian crises:

Feature photo by Mohammad Magayda.