Interdisciplinary collaboration to promote comprehensive services for human trafficking survivors in Ethiopia

: 2.029_NEP Interdisciplinary collaboration to promote comprehensive services for human trafficking survivors in Ethiopia M.L. Munro-Kramer, S.A. Bell, E.M. Foti, B. Carr, H. Leo, B. Haile, T. Mehert, T. Wada, A. Ali Jibril, S. Mekonnen, J.R. Lori; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Background: Human trafficking is an egregious human rights violation that is occurring around the world in startling numbers. Ethiopia is a country with a burgeoning human trafficking problem with domestic servitude, child labor, and commercial sex work as core issues. Human trafficking survivors have myriad needs including physical and mental healthcare, social support, economic resources, and legal services. Our project involved an interdisciplinary, transnational collaboration among law, public health, and nursing from the University of Michigan and Addis Ababa University to conduct a needs assessment of human trafficking services in Ethiopia. The purpose of our research project was to utilize a community-based participatory research approach to engage key stakeholders in a qualitative needs assessment to: (1) identify the potential health, legal, social, and economic service needs for survivors, and (2) explore ideas for interventions and models of service delivery. Methods: This qualitative needs assessment used purposive and network sampling to recruit healthcare providers, lawyers, non-government organization personnel, and government workers for semi-structured qualitative interviews (n1⁄415). Once saturation was achieved, the interviews were transcribed, and data was analyzed using analytical memos and the constant comparative method of analysis. Findings: Mental health needs were identified as the most pressing issue for survivors of human trafficking. Participants also identified physical health needs such as the treatment of injuries and infections, reproductive healthcare, and health education. Legal and economic services were also noted as an area of need. Interpretation: Patient-centered models of care, peer support groups, narrative therapies, and psychoeducation emerged as optimal interventions for survivors of human trafficking in Ethiopia. These interventions are needed to address their physical and mental health needs and should be offered in collaboration with comprehensive services, including legal, economic, and job training services. Culturally-appropriate, trauma-informed interventions should be developed and evaluated based on the needs identified by this study. Future studies should explore the perspectives of survivors and engage them in the development, evaluation, and implementation of interventions. Funding: We are grateful to the University of Michigan EMPACE (Ethiopia-Michigan Platform for Advancing Collaborative Engagement) Seed Grant, International Institute, and William Davidson Institute for supporting our interdisciplinary research team. Abstract #: 2.030_NEP: 2.030_NEP Research priorities for adolescent health in lowand middle-