{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,23]],"date-time":"2026-10-23T02:14:13Z","timestamp":1792721653720,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,2]],"date-time":"2025-12-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1764633600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Psychological wellbeing is a critical component of overall health, particularly for healthcare professionals who face high-stress environments. Volunteering has been associated with positive mental health outcomes, yet limited research has explored its impact on specialized medical missions. This study investigates the psychological effects of participating in a cochlear implant humanitarian mission on healthcare professionals, assessing changes in their mental wellbeing before and after the experience.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A descriptive, questionnaire-based study was conducted on volunteers who participated in a cochlear implant mission for Syrian children with hearing loss in Turkey. The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) was administered in two phases\u2014before and after the mission. A Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) model was applied to assess changes in wellbeing scores, adjusting for socio-demographic predictors.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      A total of 31 participants completed both phases. The average WEMWBS score significantly increased after the mission (\n                      <jats:italic>\u03b2<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f=\u202f9.19,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.001), indicating improved psychological wellbeing. Positive changes were observed across multiple wellbeing indicators, including optimism, confidence, and emotional resilience. Notably, participants with prior humanitarian experience showed greater wellbeing improvements. Despite the demanding nature of the mission, all participants expressed high satisfaction, with 100% willing to participate in future missions.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Participation in a cochlear implant humanitarian mission positively influenced healthcare professionals\u2019 psychological wellbeing, reinforcing the value of structured volunteer programs in mitigating stress and enhancing resilience. These findings highlight the potential role of medical volunteering in improving mental health and professional fulfilment among healthcare workers.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1729533","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,2]],"date-time":"2025-12-02T05:14:32Z","timestamp":1764652472000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Healing through volunteering: psychological wellbeing in humanitarian missions"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Eman","family":"Hajr","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2272","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(16)31279-X","article-title":"Interventions to prevent and reduce physician burnout: a systematic review and 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