The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #63551

Spencer Moore, PhD, Centre for Health and Policy Studies, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada, 403-220-4207, moos@ucalgary.ca and Eugenia Eng, DrPH, Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Rosenau Hall - Campus Box 7400, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400.

Coordination of disaster assistance is critical for effective humanitarian aid operations, but limited attention has been directed toward evaluating the system-wide structure of inter-organizational coordination during humanitarian operations. Network analysis methods were used to examine the structure of inter-organizational relations among 65 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in the 2000 flood relief operations in Mozambique. Centrality scores were used to estimate NGO-specific potential for aid coordination and tested against NGO beneficiary numbers. The average number of relief- and recovery-period beneficiaries was significantly greater for NGOs with high relative to low centrality scores (p<0.05). This presentation discusses the use of network analysis to evaluate aid operations and the types of data required to improve such evaluation methods.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant will
• develop an understanding of the international humanitarian aid system,
• recognize the importance of inter-organizational coordination within that system,
• construct an inter-agency network using organizational affiliation data, and
• evaluate the long-term success of aid operations based on network analysis.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.