Understanding the health needs of internally displaced persons: A scoping review

Analysis of health overseas development aid for internally displaced persons in low- and middle-income countries

“…However, even after adjusting for this in the sensitivity analysis (where we assumed additional ODA unspecified for IDPs may still benefit IDPs), there was still a significant difference in per capita health ODA between IDPs and refugees. In addition, evidence that IDP health outcomes are typically worse than host and refugee communities supports arguments that highlight a lack of investment in IDP health ( Cantor et al., 2021 ; Heudtlass et al., 2016 ). More in-depth research is particularly required at the national level to examine the disbursement of health ODA and domestic health financing for IDPs.…”

“…An alternative explanation for the large difference in IDP and refugee health ODA is that IDPs are under-prioritized by national and international policy-makers and donors ( Al-Mahaidi, 2021 ; Cantor et al., 2021 ). This reflects the historic relative neglect of IDPs in contrast to refugees who benefit from a well-established framework of international legal protection and the existence of a specific UN agency with a mandate for refugee protection (i.e.…”

“…Compared with resident populations and other forcibly displaced populations such as refugees, these IDPs typically experience higher rates of mortality, communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental disorders ( Greene-Cramer et al., 2020 ; Heudtlass et al., 2016 ; Lam et al., 2015 ; Porter and Haslam, 2005 ; Villamizar-Pena et al., 2021 ). Explanations for these worse health outcomes include exposure to higher levels of violence, poverty, worse living conditions, and reduced access to health services ( World Bank, 2017 ; Cantor and Apollo, 2020 ; Cantor and Wooley, 2020 ; Cantor et al., 2021 ; Ekezie et al., 2020 ). One factor underpinning these differentials is that, unlike refugees, IDPs do not generally benefit from an agreed international legal status and nor do they have an international agency dedicated specifically to protecting and assisting them ( Hakamies et al., 2008 ; Rae, 2011 ) (although there are now some regional treaties on IDP protection and assistance and diffuse responsibilities for different aspects of the IDP response are allocated through the humanitarian ‘cluster’ system ( Cantor, 2018 )).…”

“…In addition, IDPs are often in countries with low GDP and lower proportion of GDP spent on health. It is also argued that the international community is less interested in IDP than refugee situations, resulting in less assistance to IDPs ( Cantor et al., 2021 ).…”

Reconstructing subdistrict-level population denominators in Yemen after six years of armed conflict and forced displacement

“…We estimate that a surprisingly large percentage of Yemen's population may have been displaced in the early phase of the crisis. Displacement has wide-ranging effects on livelihoods, security, health and child development [28]: its occurrence at such scale suggests that a large number of Yemenis have been deeply affected by the crisis. Models, however, indicate that some primary displacement was short-lived, with some 40% moving on or returning within the first year.…”