War refugees and veterans have been known to frequently develop neuropsychiatric conditions including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety disorders that tend to leave a long-lasting scar and impact their emotional response system. The shear stress, trauma, and mental breakdown from overnight displacement, family separation, and killing of friends and families cannot be described enough. Victims often require years of mental health support as they struggle with sleep difficulties, recurring memories, anxiety, grief, and anger. Everyone develops their coping mechanism which can involve dependence and long-term addiction to alcohol, drugs, violence, or gambling. The high prevalence of mental health disorders during and after the war indicates an undeniable necessity for screening those in need of treatment. For medical health professionals, it is crucial to identify such vulnerable groups who are prone to developing neuropsychiatric morbidities and associated risk factors. It is pivotal to develop and deploy effective and affordable multi-sectoral collaborative care models and therapy, which primarily depends upon family and primary care physicians in the conflict zones. Herein, we provide a brief overview regarding the identification and management of vulnerable populations, alongside discussing the challenges and possible solutions to the same.
Leitenberg M. Deaths in Wars and Conflicts in the 20th Century. Cornell University, Peace Studies Program; 2006.
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Sipri Yearbook 2021: Armaments, Disarmament and International Security. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute; n.d.
Haer R. Children and armed conflict: looking at the future and learning from the past. Third World Q. 2019;40(1):74-91. doi:10.1080/01436597.2018.1552131
DOI
Punamäki R-L, Peltonen K, Diab M, Qouta SR. Psychosocial interventions and emotion regulation among war-affected children: randomized control trial effects. Traumatology. 2014;20(4):241-252. doi:10.1037/h0099856
DOI
Goldstein JS. Fatalities From War and Other Violence, by Age and Gender 1990 in War and Gender: How Gender Shapes the War System and Vice Versa, 1st ed. Cambridge University Press; 2001: 401.
Rehn E, Sirlea EJ. Chapter 3: war and the health of women. In: Jacobs G. (ed.) Women, War, and Peace: The Independent Experts’ Assessment on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Women and Women’s Role in Peacebuilding, 1st ed. United Nations Development Fund for Women; 2002: 31-46. Accessed May 22, 2022. https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/3F71081FF391653DC1256C69003170E9-unicef-WomenWarPeace.pdf
WHO UNFPA, UNICEF AMDD.
Monitoring Emergency Obstetric Care a Handbook, Vol. 2. World Health Organization; 2009. Accessed May 22, 2022. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/44121/9789241547734_eng.pdf
World Health Organization (WHO) and Global Mental Health, University of Washington. Ukraine WHO special initiative for mental health situational assessment. 2020. Accessed March 31, 2022. https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/mental-health/who-special-initiative-country-report—ukraine—2020.pdf?sfvrsn=ad137e9_4
van Voren R. (ed.). Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union (Directorate B, Policy Department Study): Psychiatry as a Tool for Coercion in Post-Soviet Countries, 1st ed. European Union and European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights; 2013. Accessed May 22, 2022. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/etudes/join/2013/433723/EXPO-DROI_T(2013)433723_EN.pdf
Gates S, Mokleiv Nygård H, Bahgat K. (eds.). Patterns of attacks on medical personnel and facilities: SDG 3 meets SDG 16. 2017. Accessed March 10, 2022. https://www.prio.org/Publications/Publication/?x=10785
Baker A. Syria’s health crisis spirals as doctors flee. Time. 2014:4.
