Abstract
BackgroundThe 20 year war in northern Uganda between the Lord's Resistance Army and the Ugandan government has resulted in the displacement of up to 2 million people within Uganda. The purpose of the study was to measure rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression amongst these internally displaced persons (IDPs), and investigate associated demographic and trauma exposure risk factors.MethodsA cross-sectional multi-staged, random cluster survey with 1210 adult IDPs was conducted in November 2006 in Gulu and Amuru districts of northern Uganda. Levels of exposure to traumatic events and PTSD were measured using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (original version), and levels of depression were measured using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyse the association of demographic and trauma exposure variables on the outcomes of PTSD and depression.ResultsOver half (54%) of the respondents met symptom criteria for PTSD, and over two thirds (67%) of respondents met symptom criteria for depression. Over half (58%) of respondents had experienced 8 or more of the 16 trauma events covered in the questionnaire. Factors strongly linked with PTSD and depression included gender, marital status, distance of displacement, experiencing ill health without medical care, experiencing rape or sexual abuse, experiencing lack of food or water, and experiencing higher rates of trauma exposure.ConclusionThis study provides evidence of exposure to traumatic events and deprivation of essential goods and services suffered by IDPs, and the resultant effect this has upon their mental health. Protection and social and psychological assistance are urgently required to help IDPs in northern Uganda re-build their lives.
Highlights
The 20 year war in northern Uganda between the Lord's Resistance Army and the Ugandan government has resulted in the displacement of up to 2 million people within Uganda
The Internally Displaced Person (IDP) were forced to move to the camps by the Ugandan army to reportedly protect the civilians and aid the army's counter-insurgency campaign against the Lords Resistance Army [2]
This study provides evidence of extremely high exposure to traumatic events suffered by civilians in Gulu and Amuru districts of northern Uganda and indicates widespread human rights abuses in northern Uganda, corroborating other findings on trauma exposure in northern Uganda [26]. 43% of respondents reporting having been abducted or kidnapped
Summary
The 20 year war in northern Uganda between the Lord's Resistance Army and the Ugandan government has resulted in the displacement of up to 2 million people within Uganda. The purpose of the study was to measure rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression amongst these internally displaced persons (IDPs), and investigate associated demographic and trauma exposure risk factors. There have been up to 2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northern Uganda as a result of the 20 year conflict waged largely between a rebel group, the Lord's Resistance Army, and the central government and its army. The purpose of the study was to measure rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression amongst internally displaced persons (IDPs), and investigate associated demographic and trauma exposure risk factors
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