Psychiatric Morbidity among Internally Displaced People in Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Mental health problems in internally displaced people (IDP) can be triggered by either collective effect or individual effect of traumas experienced during Preflight, Flight, and Resettlement time. Higher level of depression and anxiety has been reported among IDPs globally while little is known in Ethiopia.Aims: To assess the prevalence of depression and anxiety among internally displaced people in Gedeo zone, Ethiopia, 2019.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among internally displaced communities settled in Gedeo Zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Regional states (SNNPR) among randomly selected 421 displaced individuals. Data were collected using standard and structured tools and entered into Epi info version 7 and exported to Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 for analysis and descriptive statistics have been used to report the magnitude of the outcome. Logistic regression was considered to evaluate association between variables. Results: A total of 421 displaced persons completed the survey constituting a 99.5% response rate, of which 232 (55.1%) were males. Age of the study subjects ranged between 19 and 80 years, with a median of 33 years and ±11.8 SD. Higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders were found: depression 18.5% ((95% CI: (15.0, 22.3)), and anxiety 59.1% ((95% CI: (54.6, 63.9)). Tobacco use, female gender and age range from 19-30 years had statistically significant effect on the mental health outcomes of IDPs in the current study. Respondents’ marital condition, educational status, occupation, current living condition, social support status, as well as exposure status to physical and sexual violence were not significantly associated with both depression and anxiety. Conclusions: This assessment identified that the prevalence of depression and anxiety was high among internally displaced populations in the Gedeo zone. Clinical and psychosocial intervention is required.

Prevalence of Anxiety and Drug Abuse Disorders Among Young Internally Displaced Persons in Northern Nigeria

“…This study discovered a link between anxiety and age, employment, education level, and family income. This was in contrast to a study in which age was important but educational level, employment, and current living situation were not [15]. In prior research, however, a lack of a source of income was shown to be strongly related with screening positives for depression and anxiety among IDPs and refugees [16].…”