Comparative study of mental health and quality of life in long term refugees and host populations in Oru-Ijebu, Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

BackgroundRefugees as “People Living in Highly Stressful Situation” are particularly vulnerable to mental ill-health as a result of the trauma experienced pre- and post-migration. The lack of information on the mental health disparities of refugees and non-refugees in West Africa is what this study aimed to bridge.A cross-sectional study design was employed using a cluster sampling technique. Interviewer-administered structured questionnaires consisting of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), WHO quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Community Quality of Life (CQoL) were used for data collection. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 17. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of mental health status and QoL.ResultsRespondents consisted of 444(45.7%) refugees and 527(54.3%) non-refugees. Two-thirds 292 (66%) of the refugees were Liberians. Mean age: refugees - 34.8 ± 12.8 years versus non-refugees - 33.3 ± 8.1 years (p < 0.05). While the majority 376(84.7%) of the refugees were married, most 468(88.8%) of the native population were not (p < 0.001). Significantly higher proportion of refugees had polygamous marriages, lived in poorer type of accommodation and had no formal education compared to the non-refugees (p < 0.05). The overall QoL and CQoL scores were both significantly lower for the refugees (p < 0.001). Refugees were three times more likely than non-refugees to have poor mental health [OR: 3.43; 95%CI: 1.83-6.40]. Overall, being currently ill tripled the odds of mental ill health [OR: 2.73; 95%CI: 1.98-3.77]. Unskilled workers [OR: 2.78; 95%CI: 1.68-4.60], skilled workers [OR: 2.98; 95%CI: 2.03-4.38] and the unemployed [OR: 1.94; 95%CI: 1.29-2.92] had two or more times the odds of poor mental health compared to professionals.ConclusionsQoL and occupational status were the major threats to the mental health of the refugees. Results of this study point to the need for continued attention to not only the healthcare needs but the welfare, housing, employment and overall QoL to support the long-term mental health of refugees and non-refugee populations alike.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Dogonahawa and Zawan, North-Central Nigeria, Four-Years after Communal Violence: Prevalence and Risk Factors Prevalence of and risk factors for PTSD

“…These people are predominantly the Berom ethnic group and most of them are farmers. The minimum sample size was calculated using Kish formula [16] for cross sectional studies based on a prior estimate of 42% for PTSD [13] . Sample sizes of 260 and 250 were estimated for the exposed and not exposed groups respectively.…”

“…On the other hand, the results of studies conducted among post-conflict populations in Turkey [6] , Northern Ireland [7] , Lebanon [8] , Liberia [9] , Northern Uganda [10] , Rwanda [11] , and indeed Nigeria [12][13][14] have demonstrated a variously high prevalence of Post-traumatic stress disorder in the range of 10-60%. Correlates of PTSD found in these studies include gender, marital status, and income level.…”

Quality of life of Syrian refugees living in camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

“…The other two samples comprised samples from refugee populations residing in West Africa (Akinyemi, et al, 2012) Table 1 shows a set of mean comparisons between Syrian refugees in Kurdistan and overall norm data for the WHOQOL-BREF. This comparison uses transformed domain scores within a range 4-20.…”

“…-Insert Table 2 about here - Table 2 shows the comparison with the first of the two refugee samples, refugees resident in West Africa (Akinyemi, et al, 2012). For this sample, mean scores were presented as raw scores.…”

“…In terms of the comparison with the norm data, the refugees residing in Kurdistan scored significantly lower on physical health, psychology and environment QoL, but significantly higher on social relationships QoL. In terms of effect size the differences, the differences for physical health and psychological QOL are of a large effect size, the differences for the environment QoL are of a moderate effect size, but the difference reported for social relationships QOL does not even meet the criteria of a small effect size.-Insert Table 2 about here - Table 2 shows the comparison with the first of the two refugee samples, refugees resident in West Africa (Akinyemi, et al, 2012). For this sample, mean scores were presented as raw scores.…”