Displacement Camps Research Articles

Sarcoptes scabiei infestation among children in a displacement camp in Sierra Leone

The prevalence of scabies was investigated among a study population of 125 children between the ages of 1–15 y. Confirmation of scabies was done by clinical examination of each child and by the identification of the mite by microscopically examining the scrapings from the scabies-like lesions. The prevalence was age dependent, with children under five years accounting for 77%, peaking to 86% among the 5 to 9-y-olds, and steadily declining with an increase in age. Lesions were found on almost all parts of the body, but lesions were more commonly located on the fingers, legs, hands, face, stomach, and genitalia. Sarcoptes scabiei var hominis was recovered from 84 (67%) of the 125 skin scrapings examined. The prevalence of scabies is high in children in the displacement camps, suggesting that it may be a serious public health problem not only in these camps, but also in the entire country. This may be due to the fact that certain environmental conditions like civil unrest, overcrowding, poor personal hygiene, poverty, and ignorance, which are conducive to the spread of scabies, is characteristically present among the camp residents. Control programs should be put in place and implemented in an integrated nature, by reducing overcrowding, and by improving health education, personal hygiene, treatment and surveillance among high-risk populations. Public Health (2001) 115 , 208–211.

Sarcoptes scabiei infestation among children in a displacement camp in Sierra Leone

The prevalence of scabies was investigated among a study population of 125 children between the ages of 1–15 y. Confirmation of scabies was done by clinical examination of each child and by the identification of the mite by microscopically examining the scrapings from the scabies-like lesions. The prevalence was age dependent, with children under five years accounting for 77%, peaking to 86% among the 5 to 9-y-olds, and steadily declining with an increase in age. Lesions were found on almost all parts of the body, but lesions were more commonly located on the fingers, legs, hands, face, stomach, and genitalia. Sarcoptes scabiei var hominis was recovered from 84 (67%) of the 125 skin scrapings examined. The prevalence of scabies is high in children in the displacement camps, suggesting that it may be a serious public health problem not only in these camps, but also in the entire country. This may be due to the fact that certain environmental conditions like civil unrest, overcrowding, poor personal hygiene, poverty, and ignorance, which are conducive to the spread of scabies, is characteristically present among the camp residents. Control programs should be put in place and implemented in an integrated nature, by reducing overcrowding, and by improving health education, personal hygiene, treatment and surveillance among high-risk populations. Public Health (2001) 115, 208–211.

Posttraumatic stress disorder in children after the military operation "Anfal" in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Five years after the military operation "Anfal" in Iraqi Kurdistan, 45 families were randomly selected among the survivors in two displacement camps. The Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms for Children (PTSS-C) and the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) were administered to the oldest child and the caregiver in each family, respectively. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was reported in 87% of children and 60% of their caregivers. While childhood PTSD was only significantly predicted by child trauma score and the duration of captivity, it was neither predicted by maternal PTSD nor did it disappear after the reunion with the PTSD-free father. However, the small sample size makes the results hypotheses rather than conclusive.