Psychoactive substance use and general mental health among refugees in a Nigerian camp

Amosu, Sunday M; Onifade, Peter Olutunde; Adamson, Taiwo Abosede

doi:10.3109/14659891.2013.820800

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…This in itself will add further stress and sense of loss to an already traumatised population which may then inadvertently cause a further rise in self-medication in the form of substance use. In refugee populations this is strongly associated with mental illness (Amosu et al, 2016). In 2017, The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Framework was established in UNRWA camps across the region to facilitate greater coherence, consistency and quality of UNRWA MHPSS interventions and their impact across the Agency, in order to protect and improve the mental health and psychosocial well-being of Palestine refugees (UNRWA /Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Framework, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perspectives of Frontline Professionals on Palestinian Children Living with Sibling and Parental Drug Use in the UNRWA Camps, Jordan

Wazaify

Abushams

Al-Afifi³

et al. 2020

Int J Ment Health Addiction

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Context: The occupied Palestinian territories (oPt) consists of the non-contiguous West Bank including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. It is densely populated within these confines, and has a unique socio-economic context characterized by political and economic tensions . Around 2.2 million Palestinians are displaced and living in the ten UNRWA refugee camps in Jordan. Palestinian communities are exposed to a double burden of disease caused by the severe economic, social and health consequences of Israeli occupation and resultant displacement. Exposure to political violence, economic hardship, fragmentation of Palestinian families, unemployment, trauma and community stress underpin a reported rise in drug abuse. . Method: A qualitative study using focus groups ( n =3) with a convenience sample of health care and educational professionals was conducted in two UNRWA camps ( Al-Zarka, Al-Wehdat ) in Jordan. Guided discussions explored the experiences of these professionals in working with Palestinian families and children affected by substance/drug use and drug use disorder in the home. Data were analysed using thematic analysis (TA). Results: Five themes emerged from the TA. These were: 1)Access to drugs was perceived to be relatively easy in the camps; 2) Attitudes towards drugs appear to have desensitised, yet stigma persists; 3) Families of drug users are affected by fear, social and economic poverty, with significant physical and psychological cost to children; 4) Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems CorporationCauses of substance/drug use in Palestinian communities living in Jordanian UNRWA camps is multifactorial; 5) Solutions are multi-faceted and indicative of the need for prevention and support for those at risk, and affected . Conclusions: Threats to UNRWA from the current political climate and the reducing investment in services may exacerbate this public health and security issue. For an evidence based approach to have credibility in the camp communities, there is a need for accurate, factual information, along with robust epidemiological data, relating to the extent, characteristics and harms associated with drug use.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perspectives of Frontline Professionals on Palestinian Children Living with Sibling and Parental Drug Use in the UNRWA Camps, Jordan

Wazaify

Abushams

Al-Afifi³

et al. 2020

Int J Ment Health Addiction

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“…A previous study in Uganda with refugees showed high prevalence of post-traumatic stress, major depressive, generalized anxiety and substance use disorders, all linked to unmet basic needs (Bapolisi et al, 2020 ). Conversely, interventions addressing social determinants, for example, income-generating programs, can act as protective factors against initial AUD development (Amosu et al, 2016 ; Aaraj et al, 2021 ; Naseh et al, 2021 ), while potentially preventing relapse posttreatment. Failing to recognize the impact of social determinants on mental health and AUDs will impede efforts in prevention, recovery and symptom reduction, especially in resource-poor settings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Theory of Change to Plan for the Implementation of a Psychological Intervention Addressing Alcohol Use Disorder and Psychological Distress in Uganda

van der Boor,

Andersen,

Massazza

et al. 2024

Camb. prisms Glob. ment. health

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In conflict-affected settings, prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) can be high. However, limited practical information exists on AUD management in low-income settings. Using a theory of change (ToC) approach, we aimed to identify pathways influencing the implementation and maintenance of a new transdiagnostic psychological intervention ("CHANGE"), targeting both psychological distress and AUDs in humanitarian settings. Three half-day workshops in Uganda engaged 41 stakeholders to develop a ToC map. ToC is a participatory program theory approach aiming to create a visual representation of how and why an intervention leads to specific outcomes. Additionally, five semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore experiences of stakeholders that participated in the ToC workshops. Two necessary pathways influencing the implementation and maintenance of CHANGE were identified: policy impact, and mental health service delivery. Barriers identified included policy gaps, limited recognition of social determinants and the need for integrated follow-up care. Interviewed participants valued ToC's participatory approach and expressed concerns about its adaptability in continuously changing contexts (e.g., humanitarian settings). Our study underscores ToC's value in delineating context-specific outcomes and identifies areas requiring further attention. It emphasizes the importance of early planning and stakeholder engagement for sustainable implementation of psychological interventions in humanitarian settings. Impact statementBy using theory of change (ToC), we use a participatory approach to understand different pathways that can shape the implementation and maintenance of a new psychological intervention named "CHANGE" in a humanitarian setting in Uganda. The CHANGE intervention is designed to address both psychological distress and alcohol use disorders in conflict affected populations. The findings of this study reveal that there are two pathways that are important for the implementation of CHANGE in this context: policy impact, and mental health service delivery. We reflect on the utility of using a ToC methodology in this context and identify areas that require further attention. BackgroundOver the last 10 years, the number of forcibly displaced populations resulting from armed conflict, persecution and/or violence has grown by more than 50% (UNHCR, 2021). In 2021 alone, 23 countries faced high or medium intensity conflicts (World Bank, 2022), which have farreaching social, economic and health impacts (Milián et al., 2022; World Bank, 2022).Armed conflict can impact mental health both directly, for example, by exposing people to traumatic events, and indirectly, for example, by worsening known social determinants of mental health (i.e., impoverishment, poor access to healthcare, loss of social networks) (Lo et al., 2017a). In these contexts, alcohol use disorders (AUDs) may provide unhealthy ways to cope with Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health www.cambridge.org/gmh

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“…The literature suggests that correlation between mental health problems and social support has been reported in different countries and states, such as American Indians from the Eastern Tribe, American Indians[10], Oru camp near AgoIwoye in Ogun state, Nigeria[7]. It is recommended that early social support may help prevent mental health problems in youths[2].…”

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confidence: 99%

Social Support and Mental Health Problems are Correlated with Substance Use among Middle and High School Students

Gray¹

2021

OAJAP

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Substance use is a major public health concern, and it may be correlated with mental health problems and inadequate social support. Youths who do not receive early intervention may be at high risk for substance use. The purpose of this study is to assess the correlation between mental health problems and substance use as well as substance use and social support among middle school and high school students, using secondary data from Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey. Logistic regressions were used to assess the correlation between the variables that measured substance use, social support, and mental health problems. The results showed that there was a statistically significant correlation between mental health problems and substance use as well as between substance use and social support among youths who are in middle and high school. By evaluating the correlation among substance use, mental health problems, and social support in middle school and high school students, focused interventions may be developed by providers and teachers to prevent substance use among youths.

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Psychoactive substance use and general mental health among refugees in a Nigerian camp

Cited by 4 publications

References 18 publications

Perspectives of Frontline Professionals on Palestinian Children Living with Sibling and Parental Drug Use in the UNRWA Camps, Jordan

Perspectives of Frontline Professionals on Palestinian Children Living with Sibling and Parental Drug Use in the UNRWA Camps, Jordan

Using Theory of Change to Plan for the Implementation of a Psychological Intervention Addressing Alcohol Use Disorder and Psychological Distress in Uganda

Social Support and Mental Health Problems are Correlated with Substance Use among Middle and High School Students

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