Social determinants, symptoms and mental problems in adults internally displaced by armed conflict. Soacha, Colombia, 2019

Objective

To characterise social determinants of health, mental health problems and potentially problematic symptoms in the adult population displaced by internal armed conflict in Colombia.

Methods

Cross-sectional descriptive study with a random sample of 98 adults forcefully displaced to Soacha, Colombia, due to internal armed conflict. The Self Report Questionnaire to detect potentially problematic mental health problems and symptoms, and a structured questionnaire on social determinants of health were applied.

Results

The median age was 38 [interquartile range, 28–46] years, and women predominated (69.39%). The median time since displacement was 36 [16–48] months, and time since settlement in Soacha, 48 [5–48] months. 86.32% survived on less than the minimum wage per month and 93.87% did not have an employment contract. 42.86% and 7.14% reported being owners of their homes before and after displacement, respectively. Upon arriving in Soacha, 79.60% went to primary support networks and 3% to institutions. Before displacement, 16.33% lacked health insurance and 27.55% afterwards. Regarding mental health problems; there were possible depressive or anxious disorders in 57.29%; possible psychosis in 36.73%; and potentially problematic symptoms in 91.66%, being more prevalent and serious in women (p = 0.0025).

Conclusions

A deterioration in living conditions and a higher prevalence of potentially problematic mental health problems and symptoms was reported in displaced adult populations settled in Soacha compared to other regions of the country. Analyses with complementary perspectives are required to evaluate these differences.