Evaluation of landmine risk education programs: a scoping review

Through a scoping review, we aimed to assess the effectiveness and impact of health education programs on landmines, known as mine risk education programs, on reducing risk-taking behaviour and injuries. Mine risk education evaluative studies were identified by searching electronic databases and publication lists of relevant humanitarian organizations. The review identified nine relevant mine risk education evaluative studies representing eight countries. These studies used different quantitative and/or qualitative methods, focusing on change in knowledge, risk-taking behaviour, and/or injuries. Three studies compared mine risk education in targeted and non-targeted groups. The review showed that mine risk education increases awareness among beneficiary communities, but the effect on decreasing landmine injury is still unknown. Due to the limited availability of rigorous evaluative studies of mine risk education programs, there still needs to be solid evidence of their effectiveness. Better-designed and resourced studies are needed to assess their effect on risk-taking behaviour and injuries.