Mental Health and Qualıty of Lıfe Assessment Among Adult Internally Dısplaced Persons (Idps) in Trıpolı Cıty Lıbya

Abstract

Sryh, M., Mental Health and Quality Of Life Assessment among Adult Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Tripoli City Libya, Hacettepe University Graduate School of Health Sciences Program of Public Health Doctor of Philosophy Thesis, Ankara, 2019. Internal displacement in Libya is one of the main results of armed conflicts since 2011. Displacement is associated with important problems such as increase in mental health, communicable and non communicable diseases, and decrease in accessibility to health service. Displacement adversely affects the quality of life of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Our descriptive study aims to assess the percentage of mental disorders, the level of the quality of life and associated socio-economic factors among IDPs in private residents and camps in Tripoli city Libya. In this study, 469 IDPs were reached in Tripoli city, Libya (227 IDPs in private residency and 242 IDPs in camp residency). The questionnaires including socio-economic characteristics, health status, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS 42) and Quality of Life Scale (SF-36) were filled by IDPs under observation. Two models were used in the analysis; bivariate model and logistic regression model. Among private residents 51.8% were males, 41.0% of them aged 25-34, the mean score for SF 36 Physical Sub dimension (PQOL) and standard deviation (Sd) was found as 69.72±20.85 (p<0.001) and the mean score for SF 36 Mental Sub dimension (MQOL) and Sd was 62.28±17.87 (p<0.001). Among camp residents 33.2% were males, 32.6% of them aged 18-24, they had mean score and Sd 59.43±17.86 for PQOL (p<0.001) and mean score and Sd 55.56±17.20 for MQOL (p<0.001). Camp resident IDPs had higher mental disorders and lower score of quality of life domains than private resident IDPs. Among IDPs; statistically significant association was found between low level of quality of life and camp residency, the presence of chronic disease and mental disorders.