Research
International Medical Corps conducts rigorous research in a wide range of contexts, from low-income and developing countries to fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings. Findings and recommendations from our research have catalyzed government action and led to new interventions that improve clinical and public health outcomes.
International Medical Corps is committed to researching topics, populations and geographies that are often overlooked in the global research landscape. We are often the only organization conducting research in the most remote and resource-scarce settings. Our teams have led studies in 26 countries, including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Jordan, Lebanon, Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Zimbabwe. We have delivered and continue to lead different types of research in health, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH); nutrition; mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS); gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response; and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
Collaboration and partnerships are at the heart of our research activities. We work closely with community members, local academia and government agencies on research that informs global advocacy, policy and programming. Our research employs a wide range of study designs, including cross-sectional, cohort, qualitative, mixed-methods and case control studies, as well as randomized controlled trials (RCT). Our studies have been published in leading peer-reviewed journals, advancing the global knowledge base on topics such as Ebola and COVID-19 response, acute malnutrition and psychosocial interventions.
Our innovative research and thought leadership—supported by a range of donors, from bilateral, multilateral and philanthropic foundations to private donors—generate new knowledge leading to more efficient, effective and accountable interventions. With dedicated staff and an unwavering commitment to continual improvement, our goal is to continue contributing to the global evidence base of humanitarian and development policy and practice.
Our research is supported by:
USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA); the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Global Affairs Canada (GAC); Grand Challenges Canada; the US National Institutes of Health (NIH); the European Commission/European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (EC/ECHO); Pfizer; the US Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM); Elrha’s Research for Health in Humanitarian Crises (R2HC); the Swiss Agency for Development (SDC) and Cooperation; and UNICEF
Our Research Portfolio
Overview
Our health research has contributed to improved response capacity and management of outbreaks and epidemics, as well as improved health services during acute and protracted emergencies. Our research includes studies on treatments, interventions and their impact on patient outcomes in the context of Ebola virus disease; studies on COVID-19 and EVD vaccine uptake, attitudes and acceptance among healthcare workers and community members; and studies on strengthening sexual and reproductive health programming, and improving outcomes, in crisis-affected settings.
Key Highlights
Overview
Our nutrition research aims to expand global knowledge about what works to improve nutrition programming across humanitarian and development settings. Our research in this area includes barrier analysis studies; detection and treatment of malnutrition, including new approaches, and risk factors for relapse; understanding drivers of malnutrition and its effects; and the effects of malnutrition on other health outcomes, including severe disease and mortality from COVID-19.
Key Highlights
Overview
Our mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) research aims to contribute to a nascent but growing evidence base on effective psychological interventions in humanitarian response, to support scaling up MHPSS services to address the mental health treatment gap by training lay counselors under clinical supervision of mental health professionals through a task-shifting approach. Our research studies also examine remote MHPSS programming in crisis-affected countries during health emergencies, and in areas that are hard to reach due to conflict or geographic remoteness. Our approach is deeply rooted in robust cultural and contextual adaptation, which ensures the quality of our research and interventions.
Key Highlights