Mental health of displaced and returnee populations: Insight from the Sri Lankan post-conflict experience.

Chesmal Siriwardhana

doi:10.1186/s13031-015-0049-2

Abstract

The month of May 2015 marked the sixth year since the end of conflict in Sri Lanka. The cause of death, destruction and displacement, three decades of conflict has had a major impact on health, especially on mental health of those affected by forced displacement. Post-conflict regions of Sri Lanka has seen improvements in many areas, including resettlement of displaced populations and rebuilding of health-related infrastructure. However, substantial gaps exist around the management of health needs among returnee populations, especially in the area of psychosocial health. Long-term mental health and resilience trajectories of those affected by prolonged displacement and experiencing return migration during post-conflict periods remain important, yet critically understudied areas.

Highlights

The month of May 2015 marked the sixth year since the end of conflict in Sri Lanka
Key objectives of the study were to describe the prevalence of common mental disorders (CMD; depression, anxiety, PTSD), investigate associations between CMD-socio-economic factors and to examine individual resilience, social support and social networks among a group of internally displaced persons (IDPs) displaced from northern Sri Lanka in 1990, who, after a period of prolonged displacement, had started the return migration process following conflict cessation in 2009
In addition to CMD prevalence and socio-demographic associations studied at two separate time points, the study looked into dynamics of resilience and associations with mental disorder outcomes [7]

Summary

Introduction

The month of May 2015 marked the sixth year since the end of conflict in Sri Lanka. The cause of death, destruction and displacement, three decades of conflict has had a major impact on health, especially on mental health of those affected by forced displacement. ‘COmmon Mental Disorders and Resilience Among Internally Displaced and Return Migrants in Sri Lanka (COMRAID/COMRAID-R)’ was a two-phase study conducted in 2011 and 2012 is the first comprehensive investigation on prolonged forced displacement, return migration and associated mental health impact in Sri Lanka [5, 6].

Results

Conclusion