Citation

Salelew E, Assefa YA, Getachew R, Nenko G, Fanta B, Amare T, Demilew D, Dellie E, Aschalew AY, Asrade G, Demeke Z, Shitu K, Eriku GA, Worku C, Kibret AK, Haile TG, Hunegnaw MT, Fekadu H, Molla A, Belew AK, Atnafu A, Guadu T, Yitayal M, Worku N, Gelaye KA, Azale T, Awoke T. BMC Womens Health 2024; 24(1): e356.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s12905-024-03161-5

PMID

38902665

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Civilian war and internal conflicts increase the incidences of mental health conditions among war survivors. It is crucial to assess war-related psychological consequences in war-affected areas in Ethiopia to intervene in the future. Thus, this study aimed to determine the magnitude of psychological distress and associated factors of psychological distress among war survivor women in Northern, Ethiopia.

METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted, and 1596 war survivor women were recruited to participate using a face-to-face interviews with a census sampling technique from May 1-30, 2022. The psychological distress was assessed using a Kessler psychological distress scale (K10). Bi-variable and multi-variable logistic regression analyses were used, and variables with a p-value less than 0.05 in the multivariable analyses were considered statistically significant.

RESULT: In this study, the response rate was 100% and the prevalence of psychological distress was 44.90% at a 95% CI: (42.40, 47.40). Psychological distress was significantly associated with the education of ability to read and write (AOR = 2.92; 95% CI: 2.12, 4.01), primary education and above (AOR = 3.08; 95% CI: 2.09, 4.54), housewife (AOR = 5.07; 95%CI: 2.64, 9.74), farmer (AOR = 8.92; 95%CI: 4.03, 19.70), emotional violence (AOR = 1.52; 95%CI: 1.05, 2.18), physical violence (AOR = 3.85; 95%CI: 2.37, 6.26) and sexual violence (AOR = 3.25; 95%CI: 1.98, 5.33) whereas being separate was protective for psychological distress (AOR = 0.38; 95%CI: 0.16, 0.92).

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of psychological distress was found to be high. Therefore, women who are housewives, married, farmers, educated, and who have experienced violence must be the focus of governmental and private collaborative interventions to prevent war-related psychological morbidity and mortality.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Risk Factors; Adult; Female; Middle Aged; Adolescent; War; Young Adult; Community; Prevalence; Surveys and Questionnaires; Psychological distress; *Psychological Distress; *Survivors/psychology/statistics & numerical data; Armed Conflicts/psychology; Ethiopia/epidemiology; Northern Ethiopia; Stress, Psychological/epidemiology/psychology; Warfare/psychology; Women mental health