Prevalence and associated factors of common mental disorders among internally displaced people by armed conflict in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique: a cross-sectional community-based study.

Background: Humanitarian emergencies are a major global health challenge with the potential to have a profound impact on people's mental and psychological health. Displacement is a traumatic event that disrupts families and affects physical and psychological health at all ages. A person may endure or witness a traumatic incident, such as being exposed to war, and, as a result, develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There is a lack of information about post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety disorder in low and middle-income countries in humanitarian emergency contexts such as Mozambique. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of PTSD, depression, and anxiety, and associated factors among armed conflict survivors in Cabo Delgado, north region of Mozambique in 2023. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted between January and April 2023 among 750 participants, who were selected by convenience. A face-to-face interview used the Primary Care Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PC-PTSD-5) to evaluate PTSD, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) to evaluate anxiety and the Patient Health Questionnaire - Mozambique (PHQ-9 MZ) to evaluate depression. The association between PTSD and demographic and psychosocial characteristics was analyzed using bivariate and multivariable binary logistic regression. We used a 5% significance level. Results: The three mental disorders assessed were highly prevalent in our sample with 74.3% PTSD, 63.8% depression, and 40.0% anxiety. The chance of developing PTSD was higher in females (AOR = 2.30, 95% CI 1.50-3.51), in patients with depression symptoms (AOR = 8.27, 95% CI = 4.97-13.74) and anxiety symptoms (AOR = 1.45, 95% CI = 0.84-2.50). Conclusion: This study reported that the prevalence of PTSD, depression, and anxiety were high. Patients having depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and being female are more at risk of developing PTSD. There is a need to integrate screening for common mental disorders in the context of humanitarian emergencies and its adapted integration of psychosocial interventions.

Assessing internal displacement patterns in Ukraine during the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2022.

Given the worldwide increase of forcibly displaced populations, particularly internally displaced persons (IDPs), it's crucial to have an up-to-date and precise tracking framework for population movements. Here, we study how the spatial and temporal pattern of a large-scale internal population movement can be monitored using human mobility datasets by exploring the case of IDPs in Ukraine at the beginning of the Russian invasion of 2022. Specifically, this study examines the sizes and travel distances of internal displacements based on GPS human mobility data, using the combinations of mobility pattern estimation methods such as truncated power law fitting and visualizing the results for humanitarian operations. Our analysis reveals that, although the city of Kyiv started to lose its population around 5 weeks before the invasion, a significant drop happened in the second week of the invasion (4.3 times larger than the size of the population lost in 5 weeks before the invasion), and the population coming to the city increased again from the third week of the invasion, indicating that displaced people started to back to their homes. Meanwhile, adjacent southern areas of Kyiv and the areas close to the western borders experienced many migrants from the first week of the invasion and from the second to third weeks of the invasion, respectively. In addition, people from relatively higher-wealth areas tended to relocate their home locations far away from their original locations compared to those from other areas. For example, 19 % of people who originally lived in higher wealth areas in the North region, including the city of Kyiv, moved their home location more than 500 km, while only 9 % of those who originally lived in lower wealth areas in the North region moved their home location more than 500 km..

Prevalence of precancerous lesions and other cervical abnormalities among internally displaced women in Benue State Nigeria.

Introduction: visual inspection is a low-cost screening strategy that can be used to prevent cervical cancer in women. These techniques can improve screening health outcomes for internally displaced women (IDW) who have poor sexual and reproductive health and rights' behaviors and outcomes. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of precancerous lesions and other clinical features using a visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) technique during a cervical cancer screening campaign in two internally displaced people (IDP) camps in Benue State, Nigeria. Methods: this was a cross-sectional study of 166 IDW who voluntarily participated in the study during a VIA cervical cancer screening campaign in two IDP camps in Benue State, Nigeria the screening was done by a group of qualified and trained healthcare workers and data was collected using a structured, pretested questionnaire. Results: a total of 99(60%) of the women had a first sexual experience at 16 years, while 78(47%) had more than 5 full-term pregnancies. Although only 72(43.4%) of the women acknowledged having more than one sexual partner, over 70% of the women stated that their sexual partner had another sexual partner. The prevalence of precancerous lesions among women was 10.8%. Smoking(p=0.003), age at menarche (p≤ 0.001) and sexual behaviors (p=0.009, p=0.004) were factors that had a statistically significant relationship with the presence of a precancerous lesion among the IDW. The study also highlights the high rate (95%) of cervicitis among the women and the relatively high rate (5.4%) of leukoplakia. Conclusion: the majority of IDW had sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics that predisposed them to developing cervical cancer More targeted interventions aimed at improving the sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics of IDW are recommended. In addition, there is a need to create awareness about cervical cancer among IDW and make screening available in camp facilities for early detection and management.

Structure and features of psychopathological symptoms in forced migrants and internally displaced persons.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To study the structure and characteristics of psychopathological symptoms in FM who left Ukraine as a result of the full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, and internally displaced persons, in a comparative aspect. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: Examination was performed in compliance with the principles of biomedical ethics, based on informed consent. Research was provided on the basis of the Ternopil Regional Clinical Psychoneurological Hospital. Inclusion criteria were women who were forced to leave the territory of Ukraine as a result of hostilities after February 24, 2022, and who left for temporary residence in the territory of the Republic of Poland (Poland) (FM), and women who were temporarily relocated within Ukraine in connection with connection with hostilities (IDP). Exclusion criteria from the study were presence of language disorders, pronounced cognitive disorders, severe somatic condition. The examination was organized by the method of a semi-structured clinical interview according to the developed by us protocol and was conducted remotely. During the examination, depressive, anxiety-phobic, asthenic and dyssomnic disorders, addictive behavior and symptoms of PTSDwere identified and verified. Statistical and mathematical processing a was carried out using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Results: The data we obtained indicate a significant spread of psychopathological symptoms in FM and IDP. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: FM and IDP are characterized by a high incidence of psychopathological symptoms. The most frequent were: depressed mood (FM - 67.2%, IDP - 58.5%), feelings of anxiety and fear (FM -52.5%, IDP - 43.6%), obsessive thoughts (FM - 58.9 %, IDP - 49.5%).

Acute Stress Disorder among 2022 Ukrainian war refugees: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Fleeing from war can be terrifying and result in Acute Stress Disorder (ASD), a mental health condition that can occur in the first month after a traumatic event. The study aimed to identify the prevalence of ASD among Ukrainian refugees and identify its risk factors to create a profile of the most vulnerable refugees. Methods: This cross-sectional study of 637 Ukrainian war-displaced persons and refugees in 2022 used the Acute Stress Disorder Scale. Results: The prevalence of ASD among participants was high (93.5%). Several factors increasing the risk of developing ASD in the sample were identified, e.g., witnessing Russian attacks (OR 2.92, 95% CI 1.26-6.78), insufficient financial resources (OR 3.56, 95% CI 1.61-7.91), and feeling of loneliness in the host country (OR 3.07, 95% CI 1.58-8.69). Pre-existing depression and the death of a close person, among others, were found to significantly (p < 0.05) exacerbate the ASD symptoms. At the same time, neither age, the distance traveled, time spent on fleeing the country, nor the type of companionship during refuge (escaping alone, with children, pets or the older adults) correlate with the severity of symptoms. Conclusion: The study shows extreme levels of trauma among Ukrainian war refugees and displaced persons. Knowledge regarding ASD vulnerabilities in the present conflict may facilitate prompt and adequate psychological help. Since ASD can be an antecedent of PTSD and several autoimmune disorders, these results may also serve as a predictor of future challenges for Ukrainian society.

The dynamic space of aid relations in protracted internal displacement: the case of Sri Lanka's northern Muslims.

Aid relations in protracted displacement comprise a diversity of actors with different influence and involvement over time. Building on the case of Sri Lanka's northern Muslim's expulsion from the north of the country in 1990, this paper investigates the dynamic space of aid relations in their drawn-out internal displacement. The study draws on 38 key informant interviews and 10 focus-group discussions, conducted in Sri Lanka (Jaffna, Mannar, Puttalam, and Colombo) in 2022. The paper contributes new knowledge of the local dynamics of assistance in protracted displacement, by analysing the roles of a wide set of actors within this dynamic space of aid relations over time. The analysis incorporates angles and voices often overlooked in mainstream humanitarian studies, including internally displaced persons, hosts, and Middle Eastern aid funders. The study argues that a long-term perspective and a variety of voices provide foundations for more productive engagement with localisation in humanitarian action in protracted displacement crises.

Implementation of lockdown, quarantine, and isolation measures in the context of COVID-19 among internally displaced persons in Burkina Faso: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: The triple political, security, and health crisis in Burkina Faso has impacted the lives of Burkinabè people, resulting in massive internal displacement. These internally displaced persons (IDPs) are very vulnerable to epidemic diseases, which was exacerbated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic., The implementation of public health measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 represented a major concern among IDPs. The objective of this study was to document knowledge, difficulties, adjustments, and challenges faced by IDPs and humanitarian authorities/actors during implementation of lockdown, quarantine, and isolation measures in response to COVID-19. METHODS: The study was conducted in Burkina Faso, in the north-central region Kaya, a commune which hosts the largest number of IDPs in the country. Qualitative research using semi-structured interviews collected discursive data from 18 authorities and/or humanitarian actors and 29 IDPs in June 2021. The transcribed interviews were coded with N'vivo 11 software and analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Although respondents had a good knowledge of lockdown, isolation, and quarantine measures, the difference between these three concepts was not easily understood by either authorities/humanitarian actors or IDPs. Communication was one of the biggest challenges for humanitarian actors. The difficulties encountered by IDPs were economic (lack of financial resources), infrastructural (limited housing), and socio-cultural in the application of lockdown, isolation, and quarantine measures. As for adjustment measures, the health authorities developed a strategy for isolation and quarantine for the management of positive and suspected cases. The IDPs mentioned their commitment to compliance and awareness of lockdown measures as the main adjustment. CONCLUSION: Although there were no known cases of COVID-19 among the IDPs at the time of the study, tailored response plans were developed to facilitate the application of these measures in emergencies. The involvement of IDPs in the communication and sensitization process was necessary to facilitate their adherence to these different measures.

Knowledge, risk perception and uptake of COVID-19 vaccination among internally displaced persons in complex humanitarian emergency setting, Northeast Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Owing to crowded and unsanitary conditions, internally displaced persons (IDPs) have an increased risk of COVID-19 infection. Adoption of COVID-19 preventive measures among this population is premised on accurate information, adequate knowledge, and risk perception. We assessed COVID-19 knowledge and risk perception and investigated the association between risk perception and COVID-19 preventive measures, including vaccination among IDPs in Northeast Nigeria. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study during July-December 2022 and sampled 2,175 IDPs using stratified sampling. We utilized a 12-point assessment tool to evaluate COVID-19 knowledge. Participants who scored ≥ 6 points were considered to have adequate knowledge. We used a 30-item Risk Behavior Diagnosis Scale to assess COVID-19 risk perception and evaluated each item on a 5-point Likert scale. Participants were divided into risk perception categories by the median of Likert scale scores. We performed weighted logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with risk perception. Pearson's chi-squared with Rao-Scott adjustment was used to determine the relationship between risk perception and COVID-19 preventive measures. RESULTS: Of 2,175 participants, 55.7% were 18-39 years old, 70.9% were females, and 81.7% had no formal education. Among the IDPs, 32.0% (95% CI: 28.8 - 35.0) were considered to have adequate COVID-19 knowledge, and 51.3% (95% CI: 47.8 - 54.8) perceived COVID-19 risk as high. Moreover, 46.3% (95% CI: 42.8 - 50.0) had received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 33.1% (95% CI: 29.8 - 36.0) received two doses. Adequate knowledge (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 2.10, [95% CI: 1.46 - 3.03]) and post-primary education (AOR = 3.20, [95% CI: 1.59 - 6.46]) were associated with risk perception. Furthermore, high risk perception was significantly associated with wearing face masks (χ2 = 106.32, p-value < .001), practicing hand hygiene (χ2 = 162.24, p-value < .001), physical distancing (χ2 = 60.84, p-value < .001) and vaccination uptake (χ2 = 46.85, p-value < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed gaps in COVID-19 knowledge, risk perception, and vaccination uptake but demonstrated a significant relationship between risk perception and COVID-19 preventive practices. Health education and risk communication should be intensified to improve knowledge, elicit stronger risk perception, and enhance COVID-19 preventive practices.

HIV/AIDS knowledge and attitudes towards HIV and condom use among internally displaced Libyan males. Is there a need to implement sex education?

BACKGROUND: Displacement has been associated with an increased risk of HIV transmission. In light of the lack of data from Libya on sexual behavior and HIV/AIDS knowledge, the effort was undertaken to assess HIV/AIDS knowledge and attitudes towards HIV and condom use in Libyan internally displaced males (IDPs) in Tripoli. METHODS: Cross-sectional study design using purposive sampling to identify internally displaced Libyan males from five camps in Tripoli. HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes towards HIV and condom use, and prevention practices were evaluated through a self-administered, close/ended anonymous questionnaire in Arabic. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 390 participants, all Muslims, with a mean age of 32.81 years (SD = 8.93). Overall, the average HIV and prevention knowledge score was 6.34 (SD = 1.98). The majority of the respondents thereby had an insufficient or low knowledge' level of HIV and prevention knowledge (58.70%). The mean attitude score indicated overall a negative attitude towards condom use (Mean = 32.60, SD = 7.97). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first biobehavioral survey among IDPs in Libya demonstrating a low level of HIV and prevention knowledge as well as a prevailing negative attitude level of HIV/AIDS and condom use.

Determinants of child survival practice among caregivers in internally displaced persons' camps in Abuja Municipal Area Council, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Child survival remains a major public health challenge in the sub-Saharan region of Africa, especially Nigeria. The Boko Haram crisis, which has aggravated this, has led to the displacement of many people in the north-eastern region, including children under five. This study investigated the determinants of child survival practice among caregivers in internally displaced persons' (IDP) camps in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional design was used to collect data on determinants of child survival practice from 312 caregivers in five purposively selected IDP camps in AMAC using the snowball sampling technique. Data were analysed using univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistics at 5% level of significance. RESULTS: The mean age of respondents was 29.6 ± 6.72 years. There was a significant (p < 0.05) relationship between the predisposing, reinforcing, enabling and environmental factors studied and child survival practice. Findings also indicated that all factors were significant (p < 0.05) predictors of child survival practice with the reinforcing factor being the major predictor (ß = 0.38; t = 6.08). CONCLUSION: Attention needs to be paid to all factors, particularly the reinforcing factor of social support in order to promote optimal child survival practice among caregivers in AMAC IDP camps. Collaboration with social work professionals would be an added benefit to enhance social support.

A post-traumatic stress disorder among internally displaced people in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.

Introduction: Despite the prevalence of post-traumatic disorder in internally displaced persons, which is well established, and the fact that respective international organizations are working on the issues, little attention is given in the context of sub-Saharan Africa, This study aims to review the available data about the prevalence and determinants of post-traumatic stress disorders among internally displaced people in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: Studies published in the English language that have a clear outcome of interest and are available in full text were included. Six electronic databases were searched to identify published studies on the prevalence and determinants of posttraumatic stress disorder among IDPs in sub-Saharan Africa. This includes PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, PsychInfo, and the Web of Science. All relevant studies till June, 2023 were assessed. The review was done as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA-2009) and registered on PROSPERO (CRD420222997111). Results: Originally, 33,138 articles were found in six databases, and finally, eleven studies were reviewed. The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder in sub-Saharan African countries was disproportionately presented in this review, ranging from 12.3% in Central Sudan to 85.5% in Nigeria. From a total of 11 studies, eight of them reported more than 50% of the magnitude of post-traumatic stress disorder, pointing to a higher magnitude of the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorders in the region. The study identified numerous factors that contributed to post-traumatic stress disorder among the internally displaced population. Female gender, depression, anxiety, stress, being single, low level of educational status, experiencing or witnessing traumatic events, and psychological trauma were evidenced for their association with post-traumatic stress disorder. Conclusion: These results demonstrate a higher prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder compared to other regions of the world. The participants' socio-demographic characteristics, including age, being single, being female, and a low level of education, were identified as factors contributing to PTSD. Moreover, the review identified that depression, anxiety, and experiencing or witnessing traumatic events were also influencing factors for PTSD among IDPs. The concerned bodies need to reinforce the monitoring and evaluation of the mental health programs of IDPs in the region. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=299711, CRD42022299711.

Factors associated with health-seeking patterns among internally displaced persons in complex humanitarian emergency, Northeast Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Currently, over two million persons are internally displaced because of the complex humanitarian emergency in Nigeria's northeast region. Due to crowded and unsanitary living conditions, the risk of communicable disease transmission, morbidity, and mortality among this population is high. This study explored patterns and factors associated with health-seeking among internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northeast Nigeria to inform and strengthen disease surveillance and response activities. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study conducted during June-October 2022, we employed stratified sampling technique to select 2,373 IDPs from 12 IDPs camps. A semi-structured tool was used to collect data on health-seeking patterns, socio-demographics, households, and IDPs camps characteristics. We classified health-seeking patterns into three outcome categories: 'facility care' (reference category), 'non-facility care' (patent medicine vendors, chemists, traditional healers, religious centers), and 'home care/no care'. We performed complex survey data analysis and obtained weighted statistical estimates. Univariate analysis was conducted to describe respondents' characteristics and health-seeking patterns. We fitted weighted multivariable multinomial logistic regression models to identify factors associated with health-seeking patterns. RESULTS: Of 2,373 respondents, 71.8% were 18 to 39 years old, 78.1% were females, and 81.0% had no formal education. Among the respondents, 75.7% (95% CI: 72.9-78.6) sought 'facility care', 11.1% (95% CI: 9.1-13.1) sought 'non-facility care', while 13.2% (95% CI: 10.9-15.4) practiced 'home care/no care'. Respondents who perceived illness was severe (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 0.15, [95% CI: 0.08-0.30]) and resided in officially-recognized camps (AOR = 0.26, [95% CI: 0.17-0.39]) were less likely to seek 'non-facility care' compared to 'facility care'. Similarly, respondents who resided in officially-recognized camps (AOR = 0.58, [95% CI: 0.36-0.92]), and received disease surveillance information (AOR = 0.42, [95% CI: 0.26-0.67) were less likely to practice 'home care/no care' rather than seek 'facility care'. CONCLUSIONS: This population exhibited heterogeneous patterns of health-seeking at facility and non-facility centers. Perception of illness severity and camps' status were major factors associated with health-seeking. To enhance surveillance, non-facility care providers should be systematically integrated into the surveillance network while ramping up risk communication to shape perception of illness severity, prioritizing unofficial camps.

World Health Organization Success In Rehabilitation 2030 Including Refugees' Rehabilitation Across South Asia: A Narrative Review.

Despite acknowledging the inadequacy of rehabilitation systems to meet the ever-increasing burden of disability, the World Health Organization's Rehabilitation 2030 initiative has not highlighted nor adequately analysed the deficiencies of the rehabilitation care structures of populous countries in South Asia. The pragmatic and operational realisation of the initiative is not high in terms of visibility in developing countries with fragmented rehabilitative care structures. Hence, the current narrative review was planned to highlight the spectrum of rehabilitation healthcare in the perspective of Sustainable Development Goal-3 with reference to the most populous South Asian countries, including Pakistan. A total of 40 relevant English-language articles, publications, reports and online resources were reviewed. The narrative review is significant since it may result in mainstreaming the individuals with disabilities, improving their quality of life, enhance their productivity and lessen the burden and socio-economic costs of disability on the community. For current study, 40 relevant, English-language, articles, publications, reports and online resource were reviewed.

Health Problems of Increasing Man-Made and Climate-Related Disasters on Forcibly Displaced populations: A Scoping Review on Global Evidence.

Forcibly displaced populations are among the most vulnerable groups in disasters. They experience poorer health conditions compared with nondisplaced individuals. However, a clear picture is lacking regarding the overall health problems encountered by disaster-induced mid- to long-term displaced people. This study investigated these disorders prevalence and identified their correlates among long-settled displaced populations worldwide. The current scoping review follows the PRISMA-ScR guidelines; a systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, and CINAHL and included original peer-reviewed studies, commentary, reviews, and grey literature published in English between January 1990 to June 2022. In the thematic and content analysis, the authors applied the narrative review approach to identify themes and sub-themes. Forty-eight documents were identified as fully relevant to this study. The largest number of published papers were from Asia, followed by the Middle East, the United States, and Europe. IDPs in developed countries were the most researched populations. Human-made disasters were addressed by 89% of the included studies. The four main thematic categories included were "physical health," "mental health," "inadequate facilities," and "lack of healthy behaviour." The worsening of noncommunicable diseases had the highest prevalence, followed by communicable diseases. Due to their condition, forcibly displaced migrants face a triple burden of communicable diseases and noncommunicable diseases such as mental health issues. Health-related research and policy need to consider the links among disasters, health problems, and forced migration as a determinant of health in the new era of climate change-driven displacements.

Understanding multilevel barriers to childhood vaccination uptake among Internally Displaced Populations (IDPs) in Mogadishu, Somalia: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Disparities in vaccination coverage exist in Somalia with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) being among the groups with the lowest coverage. We implemented an adapted Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) intervention, which focused on routine vaccinations among displaced populations living in Mogadishu IDP camps. The intervention was successful in improving maternal knowledge and vaccination coverage but unsuccessful in improving timely vaccination. We conducted a qualitative study to understand this result and analyze the multi-level barriers to routine childhood immunization uptake. METHOD: In this qualitative study we used observation data from 40 PLA group discussions with female caregivers and purposively sampled nine vaccination service providers and six policy makers for interview. We also reviewed national-level vaccine policy documents and assessed the quality of health facilities in the study area. We used the socioecological framework to structure our analysis and analyzed the data in NVivo. RESULTS: The barriers to childhood vaccination among IDPs at the individual level were fear due to lack of knowledge, mistrust of vaccines, concerns about side effects and misinformation; opportunity costs; and costs of transportation. At the interpersonal level, family members played an important role as did the extent of decision-making autonomy. Community factors such as cultural practices, gender roles, and household evictions influenced vaccination. Organizational issues at health facilities such as waiting times, vaccine stock-outs, distance to the facility, language differences, and hesitancy of health workers to open multi-dose vials affected vaccination. At the policy level, confusion about the eligible age for routine vaccination and age restrictions for catch-up vaccination and certain antigens such as BCG were important barriers. CONCLUSION: Complex and interrelated factors affect childhood vaccination uptake among IDPs in Somalia. Interventions that address multiple barriers simultaneously will have the greatest impact given the complex nature of vulnerabilities in this population. There is a need to strengthen the health system and connect it with existing community structures to increase demand for services. Our research highlights the importance of formative research before implementing interventions. Further research on the integration of health service strengthening with PLA to improve childhood vaccination among IDPs is recommended. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN-83,172,390. Date of registration: 03/08/2021.

A scoping review linking early childhood caries to violence, neglect, internally displaced, migrant and refugee status.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the scoping review was to identify and synthesize the available literature concerning the relationship between the status of refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) and Early Childhood Caries (ECC) as it relates to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16). METHODS: Data regarding the links between the status of refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) and Early Childhood Caries (ECC), and the associations between ECC and maternal and child exposure to physical and sexual abuse, insecurity, crime, exploitation, torture, and displacement were extracted. The search was carried out in January 2023 across three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus). Only publications in English with accessible full texts were included. Descriptive statistics were utilized to summarize the categories of the retrieved papers, and graphical representation was employed for visualization purposes. The relationships between the publications and each of the 10 targets of Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16) were also assessed. RESULTS: Forty-five studies were reviewed. Most studies (42.2%) originated from the Americas Regions, while no studies were identified from the Africa Region. A significant portion (46.7%) of the papers focused on abuse, violence, and neglect as risk factors for ECC. Migrants, refugees, and IDPs were the most investigated populations (44.4%). Only one study specifically focused on IDPs and migrants respectively. The prevalence of untreated caries was higher among migrants, refugees, and IDPs compared to the host community, ECC was more prevalent among children who experienced abuse, neglect, or were in protective care. The was no clear direction on the associations between ECC and intimate partner violence, adverse childhood experiences, and wars. In terms of the SDGs, the reviewed publications addressed four targets (SDG16.1, SDG16.2, SDG16.3, and SDG16.5) out of the ten targets outlined in SDG 16. CONCLUSION: There is available evidence regarding the connections between ECC and war, refugees, migration, violence, and neglect, as outlined in SDG 16. Future studies are needed to investigate how forced movements directly affects ECC status, how disruptions of peace and stability is a risk factor for ECC, and the associations between ECC and other indicators related to SDG 16 targets.

Vulnerability to health and well-being of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Myanmar post-military coup and COVID-19.

Across the globe, the COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated particular challenges for internally displaced people (IDPs). Over 1.9 million people in Myanmar have been displaced due to the escalation of armed conflict after the military coup in 2021. The vulnerability faced by IDPs in Myanmar, coupled with the impact of the recent military coup and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, has received little global attention. This study examined how military coup exacerbated the health and well-being of IDPs in Myanmar post the military coup. The study employed purposive sampling and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) referrals to find participants. Qualitative in-depth telephone interviews were conducted with a total of 17 IDPs. A thematic analysis of the findings indicates that IDPs experience anxiety and fear daily, adversely affecting their mental health due to the increased escalation of armed conflict and attacks on civilian places, including IDPs shelters. Some IDPs contract COVID-19 and suffer from malaria and dengue fever owing to their precarious living conditions. Moreover, the military's restrictions on humanitarian aid distribution, including healthcare, medicine, and food, have severely impacted the health and well-being of IDPs in Myanmar, exacerbating food shortages and limiting healthcare access.

Social integration, solidarity, and psychological health of internally displaced persons in Cameroon: Exploring the role of community satisfaction.

Background/Introduction: Conflict-induced displacement continue to be a pressing public policy concern due to the adverse effects on the well-being of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Understanding the integration process of these individuals, particularly the role of solidarity and social integration in fostering a sense of belonging and improving their community experiences and psychological well-being, remains unclear. This study investigates the role of community satisfaction in the relationship among social integration, solidarity, and psychological health of IDPs in Cameroon. Methods: Cross-sectional data from 428 displaced individuals in the Ntui subdivision, Cameroon, were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). This technique tested four latent variables: social integration, solidarity, community satisfaction, and psychological health. Results: The results show a direct association between solidarity and both community satisfaction (ß = 0.282; p < 0.001) and psychological health (ß = 0.137; p < 0.01). Community satisfaction also has a direct relationship with the psychological health of the IDPs (ß = 0.292; p < 0.001). An indirect effect of solidarity on psychological health through community satisfaction was observed (ß = 0.084 (SE = 0.025, CI = [0.047, 0.129], p < 0.001)). However, no mediational effect of community satisfaction was found on the association between social integration and psychological health. The model accounted for 7% of the variance in community satisfaction (R2 = 0.07) and 20% of the variance in psychological health (R2 = 0.20). Conclusion: The findings indicate a strong sense of solidarity among the displaced persons in the studied communities in Cameroon, which promotes their psychological health via community satisfaction. As such, interventions should aim to foster solidarity among displaced persons to enhance their community experiences and psychological health.

Alcohol and other drug use patterns and services in an integrated refugee settlement in Northern Zambia: a formative research study.

BACKGROUND: Evidence on patterns of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and how to effectively deliver services to address AOD use in humanitarian settings is limited. This study aimed to qualitatively explore the patterns of AOD use among Congolese refugees in Mantapala Refugee Settlement and members of the surrounding host community and identify potential appropriate intervention and implementation approaches to address AOD use disorders among conflict-affected populations. METHODS: Fifty free listing interviews, 25 key informant interviews, and four focus group discussions were conducted among refugees, host community members, humanitarian implementing agency staff, and refugee incentive workers. These participants were selected based on their knowledge of AOD use and related problems in the settlement and the surrounding host community in northern Zambia. RESULTS: Cannabis and home-brewed alcohol were the substances that were perceived to be most commonly used and have the greatest impact on the community. Participants reported that self-medication, boredom, and relief of daily stressors associated with lack of housing, safety, and employment were reasons that people used AODs. Participants recommended that programming include components to address the underlying causes of AOD use, such as livelihood activities. Stigma due to the criminalization of and societal ideals and religious beliefs regarding AOD use was identified as a substantial barrier to accessing and seeking treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our study's findings indicate the need for services to address AOD use in Mantapala Refugee Settlement. Interventions should consider the social and structural determinants of AOD use.