scholarly journals The effects of vouchers for essential household items on child health, mental health, resilience and social cohesion among internally displaced persons in the Democratic Republic of Congo

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Quattrochi ◽  
◽  
Ghislain Bisimwa ◽  
Tyler Thompson ◽  
Peter Van der Windt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Internally Displaced Persons ◽  
Displaced Persons ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Internally Displaced

scholarly journals Programmatic implications for promotion of handwashing behavior in an internally displaced persons camp in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren S. Blum ◽  
Anicet Yemweni ◽  
Victoria Trinies ◽  
Mimi Kambere ◽  
Foyeke Tolani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Internally Displaced Persons ◽  
Displaced Persons ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Internally Displaced ◽  
Hygiene Promotion ◽  
Good Hygiene ◽  
Handwashing With Soap

Abstract Background Diarrhea and acute respiratory infections (ARI) account for 30% of deaths among children displaced due to humanitarian emergencies. A wealth of evidence demonstrates that handwashing with soap prevents both diarrhea and ARI. While socially- and emotionally-driven factors are proven motivators to handwashing in non-emergency situations, little is known about determinants of handwashing behavior in emergency settings. Methods We conducted a qualitative investigation from June to August 2015 in a camp for internally displaced persons with a population of 6360 in the war-torn eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We held key informant interviews with 9 non-governmental organizations and camp officials, in-depth interviews and rating exercises with 18 mothers of children < 5 years, and discussions with 4 groups of camp residents and hygiene promoters to identify motivators and barriers to handwashing. Results At the time of the study, hygiene promotion activities lacked adequate resources, cultural acceptability, innovation, and adaptation for sustained behavioral change. Lack of ongoing provision of hygiene materials was a major barrier to handwashing behavior. When hygiene materials were available, camp residents reported that the primary motivator to handwashing was to prevent illness, particularly diarrheal disease, with many mentioning an increased need to wash hands during diarrhea outbreaks. Emotionally- and socially-related motivators such as “maintaining a good image” and social pressure to follow recommended camp hygiene practices were also reported to motivate handwashing with soap. Residents who engaged in day labor outside the camp had limited exposure to hygiene messages and handwashing facilities. Interviewees indicated that the harsh living conditions forced residents to prioritize obtaining basic survival needs over good hygiene. Conclusions Hygiene promotion in camp settings must involve preparedness of adequate resources and supplies and ongoing provision of hygiene materials so that vulnerable populations affected by emergencies can apply good hygiene behaviors for the duration of the camp’s existence. Compared to non-emergency contexts, illness-based messages may be more effective in emergency settings where disease poses a current and ongoing threat. However, failure to use emotive and social drivers that motivate handwashing may present missed opportunities to improve handwashing in camps.

scholarly journals Impact of the Healing in Harmony program on women's mental health in a rural area in South Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Cikuru ◽  
Ali Bitenga ◽  
Juvenal Bazilashe Mukungu Balegamire ◽  
Prince Mujumbe Salama ◽  
Michelle M. Hood ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Women’S Mental Health ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Women's Mental Health ◽  
Relative Risks ◽  
Post Test

Abstract Background To assess whether Healing in Harmony (HiH), a form of music therapy, improved women's mental health following conflict-related trauma and sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Methods This study used a step-wedged design and included 167 women, who completed up to two pre-tests, a post-test, and up to two follow-up interviews at 3 and 6 months after completing the program. The Hopkins Symptoms Checklist was used to measure anxiety and depression. The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire was used to measure post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Generalized estimating equations with unstructured covariance were used to estimate mean change in mental health scores and relative risks (RRs) for screening positive. Results Prior to starting the HiH program, 73.9, 84.2, and 68.5% screened positive with median scores being 2.20, 2.70, and 2.06 for depression, anxiety, and PTSD, respectively. The RR for screening positive declined significantly (RR = 0.49 for depression, 0.61 for anxiety, and 0.54 for PTSD) and mean scores declined significantly by −0.54, −0.67, and −0.53 points, respectively, from the pre- to the post-test, declines that were sustained at the 3-month and 6-month follow-up interviews. Conclusion The HiH program was associated with significant improvement in women's mental health that was sustained up to 6 months post completion of the program despite instability in the region and evidence of continued experience of conflict-related trauma during the study. These data support the value of providing psychological care in the context of ongoing humanitarian crises.

scholarly journals Refugee mental health challenges in Africa

2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-4
Author(s):  
Frank G. Njenga
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Internally Displaced Persons ◽  
Displaced Persons ◽  
Internally Displaced ◽  
United Nations High Commissioner ◽  
Refugee Mental Health ◽  
High Commissioner

Nearly all low-income countries are either just themselves emerging from conflict or neighbour a country that has just emerged from one. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (http://www.unhcr.org), of the 38 million uprooted people in 2003 worldwide, Africa played host to 13 million internally displaced persons and 3.5 million refugees.

Access to Mental Health Services Among Internally Displaced Persons in Ukraine: Results from a Nationwide Survey

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S614-S614 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Roberts ◽  
N. Makhashvili ◽  
J. Javakhishvili
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Emotional Problem ◽  
Internally Displaced Persons ◽  
Displaced Persons ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Internally Displaced

BackgroundThere are an estimated 1.4 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine as a result of the armed conflict in Ukraine.Objectives(i) Measure the burden of key mental disorders (PTSD, depression and anxiety); (ii) examine rates of utilization of health and psychosocial support services; (iii) examine the patterns of utilisation of services.MethodsThe study used a cross-sectional survey design and was conducted throughout Ukraine between March and May 2016 with 2203 IDPs aged 18 years and over. Time-location sampling was chosen as a probabilistic sampling method. Outcome measures were the PCL-5 for PTSD, the PHQ-9 for depression and the GAD-7 for anxiety. Descriptive and multivariate regression analyses were used.ResultsOf the 2203 respondents, 703 reported experiencing a mental health or emotional problem over the previous 12 months and were also screened positive with PTSD, depression or anxiety. Of these 703, 180 had sought care (with sources of care to be given in the presentation). Therefore, 523 respondents did not seek care, equating to an overall treatment gap of 74%, (74% for PTSD, 71% for depression and 70% for anxiety). Key reasons for not utilising treatment included preferring to use their own medications (n = 176); unaffordability of health services (n = 118) or medications (n = 140); poor understanding by health care providers (n = 123); poor quality of services (n = 78) and stigma/embarrassment (n = 41).ConclusionsThe findings support the need for a scaled-up, comprehensive and trauma informed response to provision of the mental health care of IDPs in Ukraine.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals The relationship between parent mental health and intimate partner violence on adolescent behavior, stigma and school attendance in families in rural Democratic Republic of Congo

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Glass ◽  
Anjalee Kohli ◽  
Pamela J. Surkan ◽  
Mitma Mpanano Remy ◽  
Nancy Perrin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
School Attendance ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Parent Mental Health ◽  
The Relationship

Background.Prolonged conflict and economic instability challenge the existing support networks in families and society places significant stress on both adults and adolescents. Exploring individual, family and social factors that increase the likelihood of or protect adolescents from negative outcomes are important to the development of evidence-based prevention and response programing in global settings.Objective.Examine the relationship between parent mental health and experience/perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) and adolescent behaviors, stigma, and school attendance. The relationship is further examined for differences by gender.Methods.Secondary analysis of data from an ongoing comparative effectiveness trial of a productive asset transfer program in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).Results.Three hundred and eighty-eight adolescent and parent dyads were included in the analysis. The analysis demonstrated that parent mental health and IPV can have a negative impact their children's well-being and the impact is different for boys and girls, likely linked to gender roles and responsibilities in the home and community. Social relationships of adolescents, as reported through experienced stigma, were negatively impacted for both boys and girls. Parent report of symptoms of PTSD and depression had a stronger negative effect on girls’ outcomes, including experienced stigma, externalizing behaviors, and missed days of school than boys. For adolescent boys, their parent's report of IPV victimization/perpetration was associated with more negative behaviors at the 8-month follow-up assessment.Conclusion.The findings reinforce the critical importance of interventions that engage parents and their children in activities that advance health and improve relationships within the family.

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