Humanitarian Medical Trips after COVID-19: Perspectives from Volunteers

CATEGORY: Other INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruption in all areas of life around the world. Volunteers that are involved in providing international humanitarian medical trips may have reservations about resuming these trips. The purpose of this study was to determine the perspectives of previous international humanitarian medical trip applicants regarding resuming these trips. METHODS: A ten-question survey was given to 27 physicians that had previously applied to go on a humanitarian trip to Vietnam in 2020 with the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society. Recipients were given 3 weeks to complete the survey, with three reminders sent. 19 completed the survey for a 79% response rate. RESULTS: 47% of the respondents were ages 36-49, with 47% from the USA. 47% had been on 1-5 previous medical trips. All of the respondents are still considering going on a future trip. The majority (79%) anticipate being able to resume travel by June 2021. 74% will determine when to go based upon government clearance for travel and 79% will take into consideration the COVID-19 status at the host site. Only 2 respondents (11%) would wait for their practice to stabilize economically. CONCLUSION: Although the COVID-19 pandemic has severely limited the ability to travel for international humanitarian medical trips, previous volunteers and applicants are still anticipating resuming these trips within a year. Most are monitoring government restrictions and the COVID-19 status at the host site as the main determinants for going. Once these factors are favorable, humanitarian medical trips will be able to resume. Those that are planning these trips should continue their preparations.