Assessment on the Mental Health Status and Provision of Psychosocial Support to Internally Displaced Women in Benishangul Gumuz, Metekel Zone Mandura Woreda, Ethiopia
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Date
2022-06-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The objective of the study is to assess the current mental health status of internally displaced
women and their needs for psychosocial support as well as the provision and access to support
services. A total sample size of 327 internally displaced women, who were selected using simple
random sampling method, participated in this study. To conduct this study, mixed research method
and descriptive design was employed. The results of the gathered data were triangulated with field
observation, key informant interview and focus group discussions (FGD) were employed to
accomplish the above stated objectives of the study. Pre-established and modified structured and
semi structured questionnaire, interview and FGD guides and field observation checklists were
used as instruments to collect data. SPSS were used for a thematic analysis to utilize both the
qualitative and quantitative data. As per the findings of the study, the prevalence of mental health
on IDP women both in the camps and host communities identified through the mental health
problems’ symptoms outlined by IASC guidelines on mental health and psychosocial support in
emergency settings. Among the symptoms they show feeling so afraid, so angry, so uninterested,
so hopeless and so severely upset about the emergency/conflict/war or another event in your life,
trying to avoid places, people, conversations, or activities that reminded you of such event.
Additionally, this feelings makes them being unable to carry out essential activities of daily living
were the major ones. The result of the study also puts the rank of mental health problems seen
among the IDP women. Accordingly stress as to what to do next comes first, followed by
depression, sadness and grief, worry over situation and their future, despair (hopelessness),
Tension (anxiety and short temper) and stigmatization and mistreatment. To cope up these
problems IDP women use their own coping mechanisms. Among the coping mechanisms begging
(to cover their own expenses) comes first followed by smoking (especially among Gumuz ethnic
groups), sleeping and crying, engaging oneself in prostitution and forcing their children to early
marriage. Although psychosocial supports are equally important as that of emergency supports
and even though there are some improvements in mental health services have begun to spread in
cities and urban centers, counseling and psychotherapy for the individual has not yet deep-rooted
in the area.
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Keywords
Mental Health Status, Provision of Psychosocial Support, Displaced Women