Psychosocial well-being necessarily includes promoting healthful behavior. The relationship between stress and health has been well-documented and research has demonstrated that a person's ability to cope with stressful situations may be lowered during times of physical illness and health decline. Protecting your physical health begins well before you leave for an assignment, and should be incorporated fully into your routine during and after your time in the field. Proper nutrition, medications, knowledge of accessible healthcare providers, exercise, safe sexual practices, and responsible alcohol consumption are all examples of healthy behaviors that may increase physical resiliency to disease and illness.
Individual humanitarian organizations require different health forms to be completed, and these often vary according to the specific location where staff will be working. While the specifics for each assignment differ, it is generally advisable for field workers to maintain up-to-date copies of health records and keep in regular contact with a health provider before and after deployment. Changes in social and physical environment can pose unique challenges to humanitarian workers, so being aware of ongoing health risks as well as available resources—first aid kits, sanitized water, stress management exercises, and hospitals or clinics to address issues that arise—can be important health promotion measures.
The resources below can help you learn more about protecting your physical health throughout your time in the field.
This website links to a number of public domain medical textbooks, including some first aid manuals. Users are encouraged to download and make a CD-ROM of the materials prior to deployment.
This link provides a review and option to purchase John Fawcett's "Stress and Trauma Handbook." The book addresses how stress impacts human functioning, the signs of burn-out, steps that can be taken to reduce the effect of stress and strain, and how this research affects the practicalities of everyday humanitarian work. Using real stories, a series of checklists, stress indicators, and burn-out monitors, this book aims to help aid workers track their well-being. The link above leads to purchase options.
Taking care of your own health in "aid environments"
