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Adaptive Health Systems: Innovations in Crisis Management During Armed Conflicts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2025

Maryam Jafar Sameri ,
Majid Alizadeh Open the ORCID record for Majid Alizadeh [Opens in a new window] ,
Fouad Baghlani  and
Samireh Mahdavi
Maryam Jafar Sameri
Affiliation:
Medicine Faculty, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
Majid Alizadeh*
Affiliation:
Healthcare Services Management, Student Research Committee, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Fouad Baghlani
Affiliation:
Deputy of Treatment Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
Samireh Mahdavi
Affiliation:
Deputy of Treatment Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
*
Corresponding author: Majid Alizadeh; Email: majid.128.am@gmail.com
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Abstract

Objective

Armed conflicts cause substantial disruptions to health care systems, necessitating innovative approaches to crisis management. Systematic reviews play a critical role in evaluating adaptive health innovations implemented during such conflicts, shedding light on their impact on crisis management and health outcomes within affected communities.

Methods

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic search in PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science resulted in 5432 articles. The review covered studies published since 2000 that addressed crisis management innovations. A rigorous selection process based on PICO criteria was employed to include relevant high-quality studies.

Results

Following screening, 21 studies were identified, demonstrating considerable innovation in health systems in conflict-affected regions. The key innovations were decentralized management structures, community health worker programs, and mobile health units, all aimed at enhancing service delivery under difficult circumstances. In spite of this, persistent challenges like infrastructure destruction, limited resources, and security risks remain substantial obstacles to the availability of health care.

Discussion

Findings highlight the critical role played by resilient health systems in mitigating the negative effects related to armed conflicts. While some innovations are promising, problems like resource constraints, infrastructure destruction, and data collection challenges remain unresolved. The review’s strengths lie in its systematic nature and extensive coverage of the literature, while potential publication bias and language restrictions should be acknowledged as limitations.

Conclusions

The present review highlights the key role of adaptive health responses in crisis management and demands more research on their long-term effects and scalability. Future research must examine comparisons across a number of nations and utilize technology, including telemedicine and digital platforms, to strengthen health care resilience in areas impacted by conflict.

Keywords

adaptive health systemscrisis managementarmed conflictshealth innovationshealth systems in war

Information

Type
Systematic Review
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 19 , 2025 , e100
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc

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