TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2010//
TI  - Rehabilitation of torture survivors in five countries: common themes and challenges
JO  - International journal of mental health systems
A1  - McColl, Helen
A1  - Higson-Smith, Craig
A1  - Gjerding, Sarah
A1  - Omar, Mostafa H.
A1  - Abdel Rahman, Basma
A1  - Hamed, Mona
A1  - El Dawla, Aida S.
A1  - Fredericks, Miriam
A1  - Paulsen, Nicole
A1  - Shabalala, Gugu
A1  - Low-Shang, Carmen
A1  - Perez, Fernando Valadez
A1  - Colin, Liliana S.
A1  - Hernandez, Aurora D.
A1  - Lavaire, Eliomara
A1  - Zuniga, Arely Pa
A1  - Calidonio, Lucia
A1  - Martinez, Carmen L.
A1  - Abu Jamei, Y
A1  - Awad, Zeyad
SP  - 16
EP  - 16
VL  - 4
IS  - 1
N2  - BACKGROUND: Torture continues to be a global problem and there is a need for prevention and rehabilitation efforts. There is little available data on torture survivors from studies designed and conducted by health professionals in low income countries. This study is a collaboration between five centres from Gaza, Egypt, Mexico, Honduras and South Africa who provide health, social and legal service to torture survivors, advocate for the prevention of torture and are part of the network of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT). METHODS: Socio-demographic, clinical and torture exposure data was collected on the torture survivors attending the five centres at presentation and then at three and six month follow-up periods. This sample of torture survivors is presented using a range of descriptive statistics. Change over time is demonstrated with repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: Of the 306 torture survivors, 23% were asylum seekers or refugees, 24% were socially isolated, 11% in prison. A high level of traumatic events was experienced. 64% had suffered head injury whilst tortured and 24% had ongoing torture injury problems. There was high prevalence of symptoms of anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress as well as medically unexplained somatic symptoms. The analysis demonstrates a modest drop in symptoms over the six months of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Data showed that the torture survivors seen in these five centres had high levels of exposure to torture events and high rates of clinical symptoms. In order to provide effective services to torture survivors, health professionals at torture rehabilitation centres in low income countries need to be supported to collect relevant data to document the needs of torture survivors and to evaluate the centres' interventions.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1752-4458
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1752-4458-4-16
ID  - ref1
ER  -