Using Data to Create Change? Interrogating the Role of Data in Ending Attacks on Healthcare

Fast, Larissa; Read, Róisín

doi:10.1093/isr/viac026

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 64 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Moreover, the reason for collecting data influences the type, detail, and uses of data. Aside from the mandate bestowed on WHO by the WHA, organisations gather data for advocacy, investigation and accountability, operational security and protection, or research purposes [ 5 , 34 , 37 , 38 , 40 – 42 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Underestimating attacks: comparing two sources of publicly-available data about attacks on health care in 2017

Parada¹,

Fast

Briody

et al. 2023

Confl Health

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Attacks on health care represent an area of growing international concern. Publicly available data are important in documenting attacks, and are often the only easily accessible data source. Data collection processes about attacks on health and their implications have received little attention, despite the fact that datasets and their collection processes may result in differing numbers. Comparing two separate datasets compiled using publicly-available data revealed minimal overlap. This article aims to explain the reasons for the lack of overlap, to better understand the gaps and their implications. Methods We compared the data collection processes for datasets comprised of publicly-reported attacks on health care from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Insecurity Insight’s Security in Numbers Database (SiND). We compared each individual event to compile a comparable dataset and identify unique and matched events in order to determine the overlap between them. We report descriptive statistics for this comparison. Results We identified a common dataset of 287 events from 2017, of which only 33 appeared in both datasets, resulting in a mere 12.9% (n = 254) overlap. Events affecting personnel and facilities appeared most often in both, and 22 of 31 countries lacked any overlap between datasets. Conclusions We conclude that the minimal overlap suggests significant underreporting of attacks on health care, and furthermore, that dataset definitions and parameters affect data collection. Source variation appears to best explain the discrepancies and closer comparison of the collection processes reveal weaknesses of both automated and manual data collection that rely on hidden curation processes. To generate more accurate datasets compiled from public sources requires systematic work to translate definitions into effective online search mechanisms to better capture the full range of events, and to increase the diversity of languages and local sources to better capture events across geographies.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Underestimating attacks: comparing two sources of publicly-available data about attacks on health care in 2017

Parada¹,

Fast

Briody

et al. 2023

Confl Health

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Health in Conflict

Getgen Kestenbaum,

Meier

2023

Global Health Law &Amp; Policy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This chapter, “Health in Conflict,” addresses the relationship between international humanitarian law and global health policy in both safeguarding public health and protecting human rights in conflict-affected settings. While the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has long overseen humanitarian responsibilities under international law, the changing nature of conflict and increasing harms to civilians—from World War II to today—has reframed international humanitarian law obligations to support the rule of law in complex emergencies. This has been achieved through the Geneva Conventions and rising global institutions to address the protection of civilians and other noncombatants in international armed conflict (IACs) and non-international armed conflicts (NIACs). These institutions that apply international humanitarian law provide a path to address major public health challenges in conflict-affected settings, including infectious diseases; non-communicable diseases; mental health and trauma; sexual and reproductive health and violence prevention; and water, sanitation, and hygiene. In conflict-affected settings, health professionals can become either complicit in human rights abuses or subject to human rights violations themselves. Considering past perpetration of human rights abuses and international crimes—including war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide—by aid professionals, it is critical for global health law to address the threat to health care from attacks against health systems amid complex humanitarian emergencies instigated and exacerbated by armed conflict.

show abstract

Have attacks on healthcare become the new normal? a public health call to action for armed conflicts before it is too late

Blanchet,

Rubenstein,

Taithe

et al. 2023

Confl Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The scale of attacks on healthcare has become more visible and its impact greater in recent armed conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan and Myanmar. In these conflicts, combatants systematically target health facilities and ambulances. We need to ensure that attacks on healthcare do not become the new norm amongst governmental troops and non-State armed groups. There is limited evidence about why and how attacks on healthcare have become “normal” practice amongst many combatants, despite the likely tactical and strategic costs to themselves. We are convinced that the problem now needs to be tackled like any other public health issue by assessing: the scale of the problem; who is the most at risk; identifying risk factors; developing new interventions to prevent the risks or address the issue; and evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions.

show abstract

Using Data to Create Change? Interrogating the Role of Data in Ending Attacks on Healthcare

Cited by 3 publications

References 64 publications

Underestimating attacks: comparing two sources of publicly-available data about attacks on health care in 2017

Underestimating attacks: comparing two sources of publicly-available data about attacks on health care in 2017

Health in Conflict

Have attacks on healthcare become the new normal? a public health call to action for armed conflicts before it is too late

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About