Spirituality and mental health in humanitarian contexts: a response to the commentaries

摘要

I would like to thank the four respondents for their positive and helpful contributions to the discussion of spirituality and psycho-social support in emergencies. I hope that a further response will offer clarity where needed and continue promoting the discussion and progress in this most important area. It is estimated that 90% of the world's population are involved in religious or spiritual custom (Koenig, 2009). Additionally, as many humanitarian disasters and crises occur in the non western world where such practices are widespread, and many of the mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) interventions are planned and implemented from a background that is overwhelmingly secular in nature, it would seem this is both an important and urgent topic.