ABSTRACT
Humanitarian emergencies are volatile, insecure, and perilous settings that expose humanitarian workers (HWs) to potentially traumatic events (PTEs). Emergencies predominantly occur in low-resource settings which already lack the necessary infrastructure and resources to ensure access to basic services. Stressors related to working conditions compound the vulnerabilities among HWs. As such, HWs are at a higher risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. Burnout symptoms are also common. Despite the increased risk for mental health problems, posttraumatic growth can be observed among humanitarian workers. This chapter aims to i) outline the prevalence of mental health problems and related risk and protective factors among HWs; ii) discuss posttraumatic growth among HWs; and iii) review extant literature relating to organizational and institutional policies and programs targeting mental health and psychosocial wellbeing to facilitate posttraumatic growth.
