Examining post-conflict stressors in northern Sri Lanka: A qualitative study

Abstract

Forcibly displaced individuals typically encounter daily stressors, which can negatively impact mental health above and beyond direct exposure to war-related violence, trauma and loss. Understanding the perspectives of war affected communities regarding daily stressors can enhance the integration of mental health into local primary care. The aim of the current study was to explore how daily stressors are conceptualized in a post-conflict setting. Data collection was completed with 53 adult participants who were recruited from primary healthcare clinics in Northern Province, Sri Lanka. Individual interviews were conducted in Tamil, audio-recorded, translated from Tamil to English, and transcribed. Themes emerging from the data were organized into an analytical framework based on iterative coding and grounded in the daily stressors framework. Stressors were conceptualized as chronic stressors and systemic stressors. Findings indicate that chronic stressors, such as loss of property, permeate daily life and have a profound impact on psychological wellbeing. Interviewees additionally reported that systemic stressors stemmed from unresolved grief for missing family members and limited support from institutions. The results of the current study complement existing literature, suggesting the value of multipronged approaches which identify and address symptoms of complicated bereavement while simultaneously alleviating financial hardship. An understanding of stressors experienced by conflict-affected populations in times of chronic adversity can be informative for the design and implementation of culturally-tailored interventions.

Effectiveness of mental health interventions for older adults in South Asia: A scoping review

“…Likewise, the cultural impact on geriatric mental health is critical in South Asia, especially in light of this region's rampant political and socioeconomic transition since the last century. For example, the cumulative impact and early-life stressors caused by post-colonial sociocultural reforms in India and Pakistan [84,85], postindependence socio-political shifting in Bangladesh [86], the impact of internal conflicts, and political regime changes in Nepal and Sri Lanka [87,88] have exposed older adults to an experience of large-scale socio-political transformation that may have different physical and psychosocial consequences.…”