Global Disasters
Advancing Global Collaboration in Disaster Research and Practice
Theme leaders
Tatiana Davidson (1) & Damion Grasso (2)
1) Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
2) University of Connecticut, West Hartford, CT 06119, USA
Please contact the theme leaders Tatiana Davidson or Damion Grasso if you would like to initiate new projects or have other ideas about global collaboration related to this topic. You can also directly submit your project proposal here.
Disasters, including natural hazards, human-caused events, and future pandemics, are global challenges that threaten the health, well-being, and resilience of individuals, communities, and health systems worldwide. Addressing these complex events requires international collaboration to advance research, policy, and best practices across the disaster continuum. This theme welcomes collaboration on all aspects of disaster research and practice related to preparedness, response, and recovery. While areas of interest include topics such as early interventions, mental health, technology-enabled care, community resilience, health systems, and workforce support, we welcome contributions across the full spectrum of disaster-related research, policy, and practice.
Projects
Please find COVID-19 projects here.
TENTS Guidelines - Update
Disaster preparedness, readiness and response: updating the TENTS guidelines for post-disaster mental health and psychosocial support
Project leaders: Chris Hoeboer, Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands; Stéfanie Fréel, Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands; Elizabeth Rochon, University of Vermont, USA; Miranda Olff, Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands
Project group (alphabetically): Marina Ajduković, University of Zagreb, Croatia; Dean Ajduković, University of Zagreb, Croatia; Jonathan Bisson, Cardiff University, UK; Maria Bragesjö, Karolinska Institute, Sweden; Ferdinand Garoff, Trauma Centre Finland; Joanne Mouthaan, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Anke Witteveen, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands; supported by a large Advisory Board.
Background
Emergency events and disasters, including natural hazards and mass casualty incidents, are potentially traumatic experiences that can severely affect people’s livelihoods, health and wellbeing. As the frequency and impact of global disasters increase, there is an urgent need for effective, evidence‑based mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to prevent, identify and treat post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma‑related disorders among affected populations. The European Network for Traumatic Stress (TENTS) post‑disaster psychosocial care guidelines, published in 2008, were an important milestone. However, they predate both the rapid expansion of the scientific literature and the emergence of new types of crises and threats.
Aims
This project aims to produce an updated, standardized, European‑wide guideline for disaster‑related mental health and psychosocial support, with relevance for global practice.
Method
The work proceeds in three main stages.
First, we are updating the original TENTS systematic review with studies published since 2008 (see here) on prevention, assessment and treatment of disaster‑related traumatic stress (PROSPERO registration: CRD420251058810).
Second, we are conducting a cross‑sectional stakeholder survey across countries in the broader European region and neighbouring contexts. The survey maps existing MHPSS capacity for emergency preparedness and response, identifies gaps in coordination, workforce, financing, service delivery and monitoring, and gathers priorities for guideline content, format and implementation support.
Third, the updated TENTS guidelines will be developed and refined through close collaboration with a dedicated workgroup, a European steering committee, and the Global Collaboration on Traumatic Stress (GCTS) partner societies.
The resulting guideline and derivative products (e.g. peer‑reviewed publications, policy briefs, implementation toolkit) will offer evidence‑based, practice‑oriented recommendations on how best to prepare for and respond to disaster‑related traumatic stress.
Current status
Ongoing.
Updated guidelines will be presented at the ESTSS conference in Portugal, 3-6 June 2027.