Traumatic experiences among Iraqi internally displaced persons and Syrian refugees

Abstract EN

Background and objectives: After civil war in Syria and Islamic state invasion of Northern Iraqi areas, high number of Iraqi internally displaced persons and Syrian refugees arrived to Iraqi Kurdistan, including children who constitute more than half of population.

The impact of psychological trauma among them is likely high, but little has been reported on traumatic experiences among these two groups in the area they first escaped to, apart from children and adolescents who have been reported in other articles.

This article reports the traumatic events that adults were able to describe during a short screening.

Methods A community based cross-sectional survey was conducted at Khanke and Domiz 2 camps in Kurdistan region of Iraq in May and June, 2015.

Sample size collection yielded 822 adults of Iraqi internally displaced persons and 820 adults of Syrian refugees and the participants were determined randomly.

Harvard Trauma Questionnaire was used to determine exposure to psycho-traumas.

Results Multiple sever traumatic events were reported in both groups.

Mild traumatization is common in Syrian refugees and sever one is more in Iraqi internally displaced persons.

Violence due to belongingness, separation, emotional violence, threats, and starvation were more experienced by Iraqi displaced people.

Physical violence, and beating to head were more common in refugees.

Combat situation, murder, and sexual violence were similar in both groups.

Conclusions Internally displaced people and refugees experienced multiple traumatic events with high levels and different types.

There are huge needs in mental health among survivors.

These findings have important implications for the planning and implementation of mental health promotion and treatment programs for resettled internally displaced persons and refugees and those who work with them.