Levels of Depressive Disorder among Displaced Citizens in Displacement Camps in Baghdad City

Abstract

Introduction: Internally displaced people are those who are compelled to escape but they either cannot

or do not desire to cross an international border. In addition, internal displacement can affect persons in

particular or an entire groups(1). The most common psychological reactions found in internally displaced

people in addition to PTSD are depression, somatization, and existential problems(2). It was found that the

prevalence of depression symptoms range among displaced individuals was 38%-41%(3).

Objective: The study aims to find out levels of depressive symptoms among displaced citizen in Baghdad

city and to find out whether there is any relationship between those levels and some socio-demographic

characteristics of displaced citizens.

Methodology: A descriptive analytic design study was conducted from November 10th, 2017 to the April

10th, 2018 with the purpose of assessing the levels of depressive disorder among displaced citizens who

temporarily live in displaced camps in Baghdad city. A non-probability (purposive) sample of 110 of those

displaced citizens was recruited to join in present study. To meet the goals of the study a questionnaire was

made. The questionnaire has two functions: primarily, four socio-demographic characteristics of displaced

people: gender, age, level of education, and marital status; and furthermore, fifteen items represent Geriatric

Depression Scale (GDS-15) for Almeida (1999)(4)which expected to determine the levels of depressive

disorder among the displaced people. Collected data were examined by means of: a descriptive statistical

analysis: frequencies and percentages and tables of distribution; and inferential analysis which was Chi2.

Results: The results indicate that about three quarters of the participants are male; half of them are of

twenties decade of age; about half of those displaced are unmarried; and three quarters of them have primary

and secondary levels of education. And the results reveals too that more than half of displaced citizens have

moderate level (64.5%); and only 11.8% are within normal level of depressive disorder; and nearly quarter

of them have severe level (23.6%).

Recommendations: The study recommends for the necessity to provide mental health services for displaced

citizens in displacement camps. And an escalation in the extent of mental health and psychosocial support

services for those displaced citizens. The necessity is needed to sufficiently support and offer broad healthcare

for them.