Faculty Research
The Program on Forced Migration and Health faculty lead and collaborate on research that influences policy and practice in complex emergencies, post-emergency recovery and development contexts. We work hand in hand with governments, international agencies and community-based organizations. As part of our commitment to building the next generation of leaders in the field, we regularly engage students in our research through mentorship in field engagements and research assistantships and through the application of applied case studies based on our research as part of our curriculum program.
PFMH faculty focus on four main areas of interest:
Child Protection - Children’s care, protection, and development are essential elements of child well-being, but they are especially at risk in conflict-affected settings. Housed in the Program on Forced Migration and Health, the Care and Protection of Children (CPC) Learning Network is a global child wellbeing research network. The network brings together child-focused institutes across the Global South to bridge knowledge and practice and advance children's rights to protection and well-being, particularly in humanitarian and fragile settings.
The CPC Learning Network was founded in 2008 as a mechanism to strengthen and systematize children’s care and protection in crisis-settings through collaborative action of humanitarian agencies, local institutions, and academic partners. Today, the CPC Learning Network continues to conduct innovative research and build evidence to drive global changes in child protection policy and practice. Faculty: Cassie Landers, EdD
Health Systems Strengthening - Conflict-affected regions and states have some of the worst health indicators and the most strained health systems globally, challenging access to care for host and displaced populations. PFMH faculty, staff, and students focus on principal partnership with local organizations using implementation research to identify ways to improve health outcomes and strengthen health systems. Our work focuses on assessing the effectiveness of existing health systems strengthening approaches utilized in post-conflict settings with a view to improving existing practice, and providing multidirectional technical exchange, data-driven advocacy and leading for policy change.
To further this goal, the sidHARTe - Strengthening Emergency Systems Program was founded in 2004 to advance locally developed evidence-based, transdisciplinary solutions for integrating primary health care, referral, and emergency care systems in resource-constrained health settings. The sidHARTe program addresses communicable and non-communicable diseases and injuries across the life course by partnering under the direction of local governments, universities, and NGOs to strengthen complex adaptive health systems. Recent research includes the USAID-supported Developing Acute Care and Emergency Referral Systems (ACERS) consortium, a four-year embedded implementation research initiative in rural Ghana. Faculty: Juliana Bol, PhD, MPH and Rachel Moresky, MD, MPH, FACEP
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support - Forcibly displaced populations, both children and adults, may experience higher rates of mental health and psychosocial needs than the general population. PFMH research on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support focuses on identifying opportunities to improve mental health and psychosocial wellbeing among forcibly displaced populations through multisectoral and community-based interventions. Faculty are currently engaged in research in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America.
Working with non-governmental and community-based organizations, government agencies, UN agencies, and academic partners, faculty have designed and adapted mental health and psychosocial support interventions to fit community priorities, evaluated the effectiveness and implementation of scalable psychological interventions, and identified the risk and protective factors that contribute to mental health and psychosocial problems in displaced communities over time. Faculty: Claire Greene, PhD, MPH and Sabrina Hermosilla, PhD, MPH
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights - Access to sexual and reproductive health care is a basic human right, yet integrated and fully comprehensive reproductive health services are not the norm in most humanitarian settings. Through collaboration with governmental and non-governmental partners, PFMH faculty work to improve the availability and quality of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in countries whose health systems have been weakened by conflict or climate disaster.
The PFMH is also home to the Reproductive Health Access, Information and Services in Emergencies (RAISE) Initiative. RAISE is a global program collaborating with program partners to identify and respond to challenges to improve SRHR in humanitarian settings globally. Faculty is currently working with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) Chad, ASTBEF (Chadian IPPF affiliate) and the University of N'Djamena to identify barriers and facilitators of access to and utilization of SRH services in three districts in Guera province, and four refugee camps in Wadi-Fira province. Faculty: Sara Casey, DrPH, MPH