Injured and disabled casualties of the Northern Ireland conflict: issues in immediate and long-term treatment, care and support

Abstract

Even though injury due to armed conflict is more commonly caused than death, research into injury due to Northern Ireland’s four decades of otherwise exhaustively documented conflict is sparse. This article reports on a 2011 study based on interviews with 30 people seriously physically injured in the conflict and 20 of their carers and a self-administered questionnaire survey of a further 90 people injured in political violence in Northern Ireland. All injured respondents reported that emergency medical emergency treatment had been excellent. Those injured in the 1970s reported low expectations of their life expectancy and rehabilitation, a lack of psychological support and lack of help with chronic injury-related conditions. More recently injured people had psychological support and were more successfully rehabilitated but those injured earlier often saw it as ‘too late’ for psychological help. Influences on well-being seem to be: changing professional standards and awareness; policies acknowledging of the effects of conflict; anti-discrimination legislation; development of rehabilitation services; and the reform of disability benefits. Inter alia, health professionals’ attitudes towards victims and their treatment of injury appear to have a significant influence on outcomes for injured people.