142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Keys to Strong Partnerships in International Medical Missions

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 : 12:42 PM - 12:54 PM

Judith Lasker, Ph.D. , Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
Michael Rozier, MPH , College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, Brighton, MA
Bruce Compton , The Catholic Health Association of the United States, St. Louis, MO
Successful international volunteer health efforts in low-income countries require effective partnerships between program sponsors and host country organizations.  Yet there has been little research on the ways in which effective partnerships are established and maintained.  This study starts to address that gap.

More than half of the international volunteer trips that Americans participate in every year are sponsored by faith-based organizations, including many that are members of the Catholic Health Association.  CHA conducted a survey of its members in 2014 to identify current practices in carrying out medical mission trips, including questions on their host-country partnerships.  634 individuals--mission trip organizers, volunteers, and hospital mission leaders--responded to the survey.  Of these, 25 were interviewed in greater depth. 

91% of organizers reported working with an in-country organization, usually local NGO’s, hospitals, churches, and missions; 88% were very satisfied with their partners.  Partners most frequently provided logistical support, assisted volunteers to provide services, and defined the goals of the trip.   Study participants emphasized establishing relationships with host communities and building partners’ capacity as keys to successful trips; partners were seen as both essential contributors to and beneficiaries of effective mission trips.  Additional comments in the survey and interviews underscored the importance of working with groups that have continuous relationships with their communities in order to prepare for and follow up on the mission trips’ activities.

Based on the survey and interview results, we offer recommendations for strengthening relationships with existing partners or identifying new partners for international volunteer health efforts.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines

Learning Objectives:
Describe how in-country partnerships are established for short-term international medical mission trips by U.S.-based sponsoring organizations and how they contribute to the goals of the trips. Identify the challenges to establishing effective partnerships. Analyze best practices in the establishment, conduct and sustainability of partner relationships for short-term volunteer trips.

Keyword(s): Community-Based Partnership & Collaboration, International Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been principal investigator in research on the sponsorship and evaluation of short-term international health volunteer trips; I have also collaborated on the study of Catholic Health Association medical mission trips reported in this paper. My work has involved identifying the benefits and drawbacks of such programs for host communities as well as for sponsors and volunteers.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4239.0: Building partnerships and coalitions for international programs