Dealing with Stress and Anxiety During Infectious Disease Outbreaks

By the end of the program, participants are expected to be able to:

• Distinguish and understand the nature of stress and psychological anxiety associated with infectious disease outbreaks (at the individual, team, and community levels).
•  Apply practical techniques for managing stress and anxiety in the context of an infectious disease outbreak.
• Provide initial psychological support (Psychological First Aid) to affected individuals and teams (for example: colleagues, volunteers, community members), taking into account the role of the local organization.
•  Build and implement a strategy to enhance psychological resilience - at the team, organization, and local community levels - to reduce the psychological impact in the medium and long term.
• Develop an action plan for their local organization/institution that integrates a systematic role in supporting mental health within the context of infectious disease outbreaks.

Target Audiences

• Employees of non-governmental organizations and local organizations working in health, community development, relief, and volunteering.
• Workers in health care centers or community health services who operate within or alongside disease outbreaks.
• Local community volunteers who contribute to communicating with residents/the local community during crises.
•   Local community leaders or coordinators of local teams that address the impacts of disease outbreaks (for example, disaster response teams, community teams, neighborhoods).
• Governmental or non-governmental institutions in Qatar.
• Students and individuals in Qatari institutions.