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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Multiple groups are calling for refugee participation in humanitarian programs, not explicitly addressing their programming logic or outcomes. Programs have followed in varied ways, with mixed results and have not yielded evidence of participation as a desired programming principle. In an era of evidence-based practice and funding, this lack of clear rationale and guidance needs rectifying.

This assessment of programs and organizations looks at refugee participation in camp public health program decision-making and what are the expectations. A framework is developed to relate the several program logics. This is a nested case study, using archival materials to reconstruct the program logic models. Interviews with persons involved in refugee public health programming, confirm the logic models developed and the potential usefulness of the framework.

Programs are employing multiple definitions of participation with varied expectations. Logics are rarely explicit. Rational and outcomes not often directly connected. Seven main program logics are found. Two large clusters of logics are found – utilitarian and human rights. Utilitarian cluster emphasizes effective and efficient program delivery. Human rights cluster focuses on need to provide public health services within a moral frame that includes autonomy of communities and individuals in decision-making.

Use of framework allows for clarifying program development, implementation and evaluation of refugee participation that will yield richer and more relevant programs and supporting evidence. Organizations calling for participation should indicate logic and outcomes of refugee participation in public health decision-making. Organizations could use framework to explicitly mix the clusters, using both utilitarian and human rights approaches.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to list at least three ways that public health programs involve refugees in program decision-making.
• Participants will be able to discuss at least three logic models for programs that involve refugees in program decision-making.
• Participants will be able to discuss how these logic models fit in an overall framework for programs that have participatory decision-making in refugee camp public health programs.

Keywords: Community Participation, Refugees