Leo Palumbo MA

PhD candidate

Cohort/Start PhD: 2024-2025

Conceptual evolution of community engagement: impact on WHO policies and emergency practices

University of Groningen
Supervisors: Prof. dr. Inanna Hamati-Ataya, Dr Nadine Voelkner
Duration of appointment: 01-09-2024 / 31-08-2030

Central Research Question:
Examines how the development of community engagement concepts in WHO’s history has influenced policy and practice frameworks for infectious disease outbreaks and humanitarian action.

Sub-questions:

Explores the impact of community engagement evolution on emergency practices and perceptions of institutional actors and community members.

Investigates key components of an effective community engagement environment across preparedness, response, and recovery phases of emergencies.

Compares community engagement models in humanitarian health emergencies versus disease outbreaks, and their role in reinforcing social participation for universal health coverage.

This research aims to understand the historical development, practical implementation, and contextual differences of community engagement in various health emergency scenarios within the WHO framework