Use of mobile health units in conflict settings—a scoping review

• Published in: BMC health services research Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 409 - 12
• Main Authors: Awad, Sarah, Sheerazi, Sarika, von Schreeb, Johan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 19.03.2025; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Armed Conflicts; Collaboration; Content analysis; Disaster medicine; Global health; Grey literature; Health services; Humanitarianism; Humans; International law; Medical Subject Headings-MeSH; Mobile businesses; Mobile health units; Mobile Health Units - organization & administration; Mobile Health Units - statistics & numerical data; Public health; Search engines; Search strategies; Telemedicine; Trauma; Wars; Switzerland; Iraq; Wars; Armed conflicts; Disaster medicine; Mobile health units
• ISSN: 1472-6963; 1472-6963
• DOI: 10.1186/s12913-025-12443-z

Mobile Health Units (MHUs) provide critical healthcare to underserved populations, however, their effectiveness in conflict settings remains unexplored. This study aims to elucidate the use of MHUs in conflict settings as described in the literature. We conducted a scoping review across twenty-three databases, including publications in English between 2000-2022 detailing MHU practices and characteristics in conflict settings. Results were analyzed using thematic content analysis guided by the World Health Organization minimum standards. Over 7000 documents were screened, yielding 15 publications eligible for inclusion. The included publications comprised 8 peer-reviewed articles, 6 evaluation reports, and 1 master thesis. The predominant study design was mixed methods. Key themes included: operational strategies, key characteristics, services, staff, predeployment preparedness, community engagement, and safety and security. The literature highlights MHUs as flexible resources for bridging health service gaps, noting limitations in sustainability and logistics. Coordination with local health facilities and communities emerged as important for MHU implementation. Data on MHUs in conflict settings is scarce with inconsistent reporting of key aspects, underscoring the need for improved reporting practices. More studies are needed to understand the role of MHUs in conflict settings.