Maternal and Child Health of Internally Displaced Persons in Ukraine: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Due to the conflict that started in spring 2014 in Eastern Ukraine, a total of 1.75 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) fled the area and have been registered in government-controlled areas of the country. This paper explores perceived health, barriers to access to healthcare, caring practices, food security, and overall financial situation of mothers and young children displaced by the conflict in Ukraine. This is a qualitative study, which collected data through semi-structured in-depth interviews with nine IDP mothers via Skype and Viber with a convenience sample of participants selected through snowball technique. Contrary to the expectations, the perceived physical health of mothers and their children was found not to be affected by conflict and displacement, while psychological distress was often reported. A weak healthcare system, Ukraine’s proneness to informal payments, and heavy bureaucracy to register as an IDP were reported in our study. A precarious social safety net to IDP mothers in Ukraine, poor dietary diversity, and a generalized rupture of vaccine stocks, with halted or delayed vaccinations in children were identified. Increasing social allowances and their timely delivery to IDP mothers might be the most efficient policy measure to improve health and nutrition security. Reestablishment and sustainability of vaccine stocks in Ukraine is urgent to avoid the risks of a public health crisis. Offering psychological support for IDP mothers is recommended.

Patterns of somatic distress among internally displaced persons in Ukraine: analysis of a cross-sectional survey

“…Qualitative research has shown how the legacy of this famine defines collective trauma that continues to perpetuate emotions, "inner states of horror", and survival-driven coping strategies on an intergenerational basis [7,8]. With respect to the current conflict in eastern Ukraine, evidence from a small qualitative study of internally displaced women and children has found that the armed conflict was reported as contributing to a "significant deterioration of perceived mental health" for most respondents, many of whom reporting experiencing anxiety, depression, and stress [9].…”

“…It is sometimes difficult to quantify SD as the types and meaning of somatic symptoms vary based on cultural beliefs and different health care contexts. In Ukraine, mental health is now recognized as playing an important role in overall well-being, although "attitudes toward people with mental illness can often be negative" [9,15]. Furthermore, somatic symptoms have not always been viewed through a biopsychosocial lens that recognizes the relationship between psychological stressors and physical ailments [16].…”

Forced international migration for refugee food: a scoping review

“…All associated with diseases for the low consumption of food sources of these nutrients in post-settlement refugees. Thus, nutritional status such as dyslipidemia, overweight and obesity, show the emergence of chronic non-degenerative diseases, as a result of consumption of low-cost and low nutritional value foods, instead of food such as fruits and vegetables, as a coping strategy to not suffer from hunger, and since these foods are more accessible 39,40 .…”

“…In addition, food security also includes respect for diversity and cultural foods. The condition of food insecurity occurs when one of these dimensions ceases to occur, and subjects the population to nutritional risks, such as refugees who do not have permanent access to food, or who do not have physical or economic access, or when food is prepared under inappropriate conditions in refugee households or camps, where resources are scarce [30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39] .…”

“…In the A9 study it was pointed out that of the 2,501 families participating in the study, 55% had food insufficiency, 62% presented food insecurity, and also showed that households with residents with a disability (of known cause) had more reports of insufficient food, variation and severe food insecurity. The A12 study, conducted with 2,575 Palestinian refugee families, points to 41% (CI: [39][40][41][42][43] and 20% (CI: 18-22) of Palestinian refugees experiencing moderate and severe food insecurity respectively. This study also shows the relation between food insecurity with poverty, unemployment, and some chronic illness or disability.…”