Medicine, Conflict and Survival最新文献

This article gives vignettes describing some key aspects of the medical, social and peace work of five women doctors prior to World War One - Anna Kuliscioff, Madeleine Pelletier, Aletta Jacobs, Alice Hamilton and Maria Montessori. Their activities gathered around feminist, political and social reform approaches in trying to combat the exploitation of working-class women, advocating for social and political equality, improving their education and in trying to reduce the phenomena of war and militarism. Because they were women, they faced considerable obstacles in pursuing their careers as doctors, but this is why they sympathized with the emerging feminist and socialist movements of their time and often played a leading role in them. Their attempts to prevent World War One, to bring about its early end, as well as their peace initiatives after 1918, can be seen as a logical continuation of their professional work: the prevention and alleviation of human suffering and misery. Their work as women, doctors and peacemakers can still be inspirational today.

The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza has created unprecedented challenges in paediatric trauma care, exposing the limitations of oft-championed traditional bioethical frameworks in conflict settings. This paper examines the ethical dilemmas faced by healthcare workers treating paediatric patients in Gaza amidst extreme resource scarcity, systemic violence, and infrastructural collapse. Using firsthand field observations and case studies, we explore the difficulties of informed consent, surrogate decision-making, and resource prioritization in an active armed conflict. The constraints of distributive justice, individual-focused paediatric autonomy, and non-maleficence are highlighted through examples such as amputation decisions, neonatal care, and managing unaccompanied minors. We propose seeking an ethical framework that considers the role of relational autonomy, Islamic bioethics, and humanitarian ethics, grounded in principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. While recognizing the inherent challenges of delivering ethical care in conflict zones, there is a need to balance immediate clinical needs with broader social and moral considerations. The paper underscores the urgent need for international support, resource allocation, and the development of actionable guidelines for paediatric care in conflict settings. It calls for further exploration of applied bioethics under extreme scarcity, aiming to inform both clinical practice and global humanitarian policies in similar crises.

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is a relatively new field of study that focuses on the positive psychological changes that can occur because of traumatic events. A change in mindset has taken place, moving away from solely concentrating on the damaging effects of trauma and towards examining the possibility for positive outcomes. Mostly PTG has been well-documented across different types of traumas, such as calamities and serious illnesses, but the specific mechanisms by which it occurs in the context of armed conflict are not yet fully understood. Therefore, the current scoping review findings present an overview of PTG that is associated primarily with the aftermath of armed conflict. However, there may be a lack of consensus on how to define and measure PTG, which makes it difficult to compare findings across studies. Despite these limitations, the extant research suggests that exposure to armed conflict is a risk factor for PTG and that interventions and support for individuals affected by armed conflict may be necessary to promote resilience and recovery from trauma. The present study findings have important implications for trauma-based therapy and can potentially impact mental health professionals for a better understanding of PTG.

The Israeli government has publicly expressed genocidal intent and conducted systematic attacks on civilians of Gaza and wider Palestine, following decades of illegal occupation and apartheid. Tens of thousands of Palestinian women, men and children have been killed; over 2-million people forcefully displaced and starved. The humanitarian catastrophe has been compounded by systematic destruction of healthcare facilities, schools, and places of worship. An online survey was conducted between 10th November and 5 December 2023 to assess UK healthcare professionals (HCPs) and students' experiences of censorship, Islamophobia and their well-being following the attacks on Palestinian civilians. Of the 651 respondants, >90% felt it was very important for them to be able to express their legitimate concerns regarding the genocide in Gaza; 93% felt censored. Overall, 69% experienced Islamophobia, a 37% increase between October and December 2023 (including verbal and physical abuse). Well-being was adversely impacted in 97%; only 12% felt their institution had offered culturally sensitive support. The wholesale assault on Gaza and wider occupied Palestine has had a significant adverse impact on the well-being of HCPs and students. Censorship and Islamophobia are widespread and rising. Urgent collective action is needed to tackle these intersecting issues and prevent further catastrophic consequences.