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Prolonged internal displacement and common mental disorders in Sri Lanka: the COMRAID study
Chesmal Siriwardhana1, Anushka Adikari, Gayani Pannala
1Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom. chesmal@gmail.com
Plos One
|May 30, 2013
Summary
Prolonged displacement in Sri Lanka significantly impacts mental health, with high rates of common mental disorders. Unemployment, food insecurity, and widowed status were key contributing factors for internally displaced persons.
Area of Science:
- Mental Health Research
- Forced Displacement Studies
- Public Health in Post-Conflict Zones
Background:
- Limited data exists on mental health issues among internally displaced persons (IDPs), especially those facing prolonged displacement.
- The COMRAID study evaluated mental health in Muslims displaced since 1990 in North-Western Sri Lanka.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of common mental disorders (CMDs) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a prolonged internally displaced population.
- To identify factors associated with mental health conditions in this vulnerable group.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 450 adults (18-65 years) from 141 settlements of internally displaced people.
- Prevalence of CMDs and PTSD was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire and CIDI sub-scale, respectively.
Main Results:
- The overall prevalence of any CMD was 18.8%, with somatoform disorder (14.0%) and other depressive syndromes (7.3%) being most common.
- PTSD prevalence was 2.4%.
- Unemployment (OR 2.8), widowed/divorced status (OR 4.9), and food insecurity (OR 1.7) were significantly associated with CMDs.
Conclusions:
- This study provides novel insights into the mental health impact of prolonged forced displacement in post-conflict Sri Lanka.
- Findings underscore the urgent need to address the mental health challenges of vulnerable populations affected by forced displacement globally.
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