Health EDRM Research Network
Background
The growing recognition of health as a core dimension in disaster risk management has catalysed the development of Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (Health EDRM), a field which encompasses emergency and disaster medicine, disaster risk reduction, humanitarian response, community health resilience, and health system resilience.
In response to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, WHO established the “WHO Thematic Platform for Health EDRM Research Network” (Health EDRM RN) in 2018. The Health EDRM RN aligns with the World Health Organization’s 13th General Programme of Work 2019-23 (GPW13), which is a critical tool for WHO Member States to set and approve the priorities of the Organization, to define the targets to be delivered, and to monitor their achievements. The GPW13 is structured around three strategic priorities, and one specifically addresses health emergencies. It aims to build resilient health systems to keep the world safe from epidemics and other health emergencies.
Objectives
Health EDRM RN aims to strengthen research and promote knowledge and evidence in Health EDRM and to synthesise and share knowledge and information.
Members & Participants
The Health EDRM Research Network (Health EDRM RN) comprises the core group, participants, and the information-sharing network. The core group includes WHO staff at all levels and regions, the Secretariat (WHO Kobe Centre), and other external key stakeholders. The core group facilitates the development of Health EDRM RN and coordinates its activities. The participants consist of global stakeholders who contribute to updating the knowledge and scientific evidence of H-EDRM through active participation in one or more thematic groups. The information sharing network expands the Health EDRM RN and includes members who will receive a periodical newsletter from the Health EDRM RN Secretariat with information of official WHO meetings, publications, research funding, and information updates from the Health EDRM RN. The WHO Kobe Centre has acted as the Secretariat of the Health EDRM RN since 2019.
Activities
Health EDRM Research Network has four major activities:
- Core Group Meetings
The Core Group is a governing body of the Health EDRM and consists of co-chairs representing global research experts, WHO focal points from HQ and all Regional Offices, and several key experts and stakeholders. An expert meeting was held in 2018 in Kobe which was followed by the 1st Core Group meeting in 2019 in Awaji, the 2nd Core Group meeting in 2020 (online), and the 3rd Core Group meeting in 2021 (online). At the core Group Meetings, key milestones are discussed, and research priority areas are identified to advance the field of Health EDRM through research.
Meeting Reports
2022 Meeting Report: WHO Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Research Network Fourth Core Group Meeting - Promoting global collaboration for effective knowledge sharing - VIEW / DOWNLOAD
2021 Meeting Report: WHO Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Research Network Third Core Group Meeting - Translating Health EDRM research into practical products - VIEW / DOWNLOAD
2020 Meeting Report: WHO Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Research Network Second Core Group Meeting - Moving forward to effective for global impact and country benefit - VIEW / DOWNLOAD
2019 Meeting Report: WHO Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Research Network First Core Group Meeting - Building a WHO Health EDRM Research Agenda - VIEW / DOWNLOAD
The comprehensive guidance for the designing, implementing and reporting of Health EDRM research during and after emergencies and disasters.
An online information-sharing hub for Health EDRM RN
Identifying key research themes is vital to address the urgent need for Health EDRM research to develop evidence-based policies, programmes and practices for effective all-hazards health emergency prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. Four research themes were identified at an expert meeting in 2018. WKC called for proposals and initiated four research projects in 2019. The 2nd core group meeting in 2020 further identified more emerging research needs and two more projects commenced in 2021.
The WHO Guidance on Research Methods for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management was developed in 2021 in order to facilitate more research that cam provide high-quality evidence for well-informed decision making for Health EDRM. The WHO Global Dissemination Initiative aims to promote the Guidance at various presentations and to encourage active implementation in teaching and training activities across the globe with the support of key participants in the Health EDRM Research Network.
Registration
If you are interested in participating in the international research collaboration or information sharing through the Health EDRM RN, please send an e-mail to WKC_WHO_Health_EDRM_RN@who.int. We will share a short form for registration.
Related web articles:
- Kobe Expert Meeting, October 2018: “Scientific Evidence in Health-EDRM” (Published online on 22 October 2018)
- “災害時の医療情報の共有を目指す. ＷＨＯが指針作成へ”. 朝日新聞 (Published online on 21 October 2019)
- "Promoting research for a better response to health emergencies and disasters" (Published online on 07 July 2021)
- “3rd Core Group meets to translate HEDRM research into practical products” (Published online on 22 December 2021)
- “兵庫発、災害医療研究に指針 統一基準や手法提示 ＷＨＯ神戸”. 神戸新聞 (Published online on 1 February 2022)
Publications:
- Kayano R, Nomura S, Abrahams J, Huda Q, Chan EYY, Murray V. Progress towards the Development of Research Agenda and the Launch of Knowledge Hub: The WHO Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Research Network (Health EDRM RN). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(9):4959. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094959.
- Nomura S, Kayano R, Egawa S, Harada N, Koido Y. Expected Scopes of Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (Health EDRM): Report on the Expert Workshop at the Annual Conference for the Japanese Association for Disaster Medicine 2020. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(9):4447. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094447.
- Kayano R, Chan EY, Murray V, Abrahams J, Barber SL. WHO Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Research Network (TPRN): Report of the Kobe Expert Meeting. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019; 16(7):E1232. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16071232.
- Kubo T, Tanasan A, Herbosa T, Buddh N, Fernando F, Kayano R. Health Data Collection Before, During and After Emergencies and Disasters-The Result of the Kobe Expert Meeting. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019; 16(5):E893. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16050893.
- Aung MN, Murray V, Kayano R. Research Methods and Ethics in Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management: The Result of the Kobe Expert Meeting. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(5):E770. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16050770.
- Généreux M, Schulter PJ, Takahashi S, Usami S, Mashino S, Kayano R, Kim Y. Psychosocial Management Before, During, and After Emergencies and Disasters-Results from the Kobe Expert Meeting. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(8):E1309. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16081309.
- Chan EYY, Murray V. What are the health research needs for the Sendai Framework. Lancet. 2017;390:e35–e36. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)31670-7.
- Lo STT, Chan EYY, Chan GKW, Murray V, Abrahams J, Ardalan A, Kayano R, Yau JCW. Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (Health-EDRM): Developing the Research Field within the Sendai Framework Paradigm. Int. J. Disaster Risk Sci. 2017;8:145–149. doi: 10.1007/s13753-017-0122-0.
