scholarly journals Mental health in Somalia

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 89-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca J. Syed Sheriff ◽  
Massimiliano Reggi ◽  
Abdirizak Mohamed ◽  
Farhan Haibe ◽  
Susannah Whitwell ◽  
...  

Somalia, in the Horn of Africa, suffers violence, political instability and high mortality rates. The recent major drought in Somalia led to what was termed the worst humanitarian disaster in the world. In July 2011 it was reported that nearly 60 000 people had entered into Kenya from Somalia already that year, including 1300 new arrivals every day to the Dadaab refugee camp, described as ‘the largest, most congested and one of the most remote refugee camps in the world’ (see http://www.unhcr.org/4e204b1e9.html). The drought along with mass migration into such poor conditions are likely to have significant short- and long-term mental health consequences for the populations involved.

Worldview ◽  
1975 ◽  
Vol 18 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 36-39
Author(s):  
Saburo Okita

The economy of Southeast Asia has been in relatively good shape in spite of the instability of the world monetary system, trade deficits, and the worldwide oil crisis. There are promising factors for economic growth, opportunities for employment, and possibilities of rising income. But Asian development presents short-and long-term problems of a very complicated nature. One of the most serious problems is inflation and its impact on the social and political programs of individual countries. At the same time, there are severe shortages of basic commodities, such as oil and food. My own country, Japan, is among those affected.


2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 36-44
Author(s):  
Shahd Adnan M. Qzeih ◽  
Rafooneh Mokhtarshahi Sani

Wars and conflicts have caused millions of people to seek asylum outside their homelands and the issue of refugee camps has become a pressing subject in international policy discussions. Conflicts continue to escalate in different parts of the world, especially in Middle Eastern countries. In 1948, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict forced displacement of many Palestinian people. The resulting camps have developed into cluster camp shelters of three to four stories in the West Bank, Gaza, and other regions around historical Palestine; some are perceived to be like gated communities. Being self-sufficient environments, refugee camps have rarely been approached from the perspective of urban psychology. This research deals with sensory perceptual analysis of Balata, the largest refugee camp in the West Bank of Palestinian Territories. Balata is situated in Nablus and has raised four generations of refugees since its establishment. In order to explore the spatial characteristics of such specific environmental experiences, the research adopted a mixed-method approach – systematically evaluating the related literature on sensory perceptual spaces and applying content analysis methods. The study modified the sensory slider tool of Malnar and Vodvarka according to the framework matrix based on the content analysis. Moreover, the case study analysis consisted of observation of the chosen area and 30 in-depth interviews with refugees who were forced out of their homes and settled in the camp as well as some who were born in the camp. The research results show that investigating what camp residents perceive of the five senses can capture meaningful sensory perceptual experiences and can generate a holistic mental image of the refugee camp. Particularly, perceptions of the built environment reflect the difficulty of life experiences. The study concludes that the characteristics of camps in this seventy-year-old conflict environment may not be found in other parts of the world.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faisal Aziz ◽  
Berthold Reichardt ◽  
Caren Sourij ◽  
Hans-Peter Dimai ◽  
Daniela Reichart ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Previous data show a high incidence of major lower extremity amputations (LEA) in Austria. Moreover, recent data on the epidemiology of major LEA are sparse in the Country. This study estimated the incidence and mortality rates of major LEA and assessed risk factors of post major LEA mortality in individuals with diabetes.Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis of 507,180 individuals with diabetes enrolled in the Austrian Health Insurance between 2014 and 2017 was performed. Crude and age-standardized rates of major LEA (hip, femur, knee, lower leg) were estimated by extracting their procedure codes from the database. Short- (30-day, 90-day) and long-term (1-year, 5-year) all-cause cumulative mortality after major LEA was estimated from the date of amputation till the date of death. Poisson regression was performed to compare rates by characteristics and assess the annual trend. The Cox-regression was performed to identify significant risk factors of all-cause mortality after major LEA.Results: A total of 2,165 individuals with diabetes underwent major LEA between 2014 and 2017. The mean age was amputees was 73.0 ±11.3 years, 62.7% were males, and 87.3% had a peripheral vascular disease (PVD). The overall age-standardized rate was 6.44 per 100,000 population. The rate increased with age (p<0.001) and was higher (p<0.001) in males (9.38) than females (5.66). The rate was 5.71 in 2014, 6.86 in 2015, 6.71 in 2016, and 6.66 in 2017, with an insignificant annual change of 3% (p=0.825). The cumulative 30-day mortality was 13.5%, 90-day was 22.0%, 1-year was 34.4%, and 5-year was 66.7%. Age, male sex, above-knee amputation, Charlson index, and heart failure were significantly associated with both short- and long-term mortality. Cancer, dementia, heart failure, PVD, and renal disease were only associated with long-term mortality.Conclusions: The rate of major LEA remained stable between 2014 and 2017 in Austria. Short and long-term mortality rates were considerably high after major LEA. Old age, male sex, above-knee amputations, heart failure, and Charlson Index were significant predictors of both short- and long-term mortality, whereas, comorbidities such as cancer, dementia, PVD, and renal disease were significant predictors of long-term mortality only.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Alshawawreh ◽  
Francesco Pomponi ◽  
Bernardino D’Amico ◽  
Susan Snaddon ◽  
Peter Guthrie

During the course of 2018, 70.8 million people globally were forcibly displaced due to natural disasters and conflicts—a staggering increase of 2.9 million people compared to the previous year’s figure. Displaced people cluster in refugee camps which have very often the scale of a medium-sized city. Post-disaster and post-conflict (PDPC) sheltering therefore represents a vitally important element for both the short- and long-term wellbeing of the displaced. However, the constrained environment which dominates PDPC sheltering often results in a lack of consideration of sustainability dimensions. Neglecting sustainability has severe practical consequences on both people and the environment, and in the long run it also incurs higher costs. It is therefore imperative to quickly transfer to PDPC sheltering where sustainability considerations are a key element of the design and decision-making processes. To facilitate such transition, this article reviews both ‘existing solutions’ and ‘novel designs’ for PDPC sheltering against the three pillars of sustainability. Both clusters are systematically categorized, and pros and cons of solutions and designs are identified. This provides an overview of the attempts made so far in different contexts, and it highlights what worked and what did not. This article represents a stepping-stone for future work in this area, to both facilitate and accelerate the transition to sustainable sheltering.


Worldview ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-13
Author(s):  
Harold G. Marcus

In the Horn of Africa the stubborn politics of military regimes have caused as many as 750,000 people to seek sanctuary across international frontiers. They will remain in refugee camps until the various antagonists decide to compromise what they term “unnegotiable” national interests, the centerpiece of the tale is Ethiopia, which, until the revolution of 1974, worked to create a nation out of an empire by transforming its many peoples into a typical Christian peasantry, thereby alienating the Muslims and pastoralists of the south, east, and north. Under Haile Selassie it also brought great wealth to a tiny oligarchy while impoverishing the masses, a process spurred during the ’50s and ’60s as the country was being integrated in the world economy.


Vaccines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendall Pogue ◽  
Jamie L. Jensen ◽  
Carter K. Stancil ◽  
Daniel G. Ferguson ◽  
Savannah J. Hughes ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, with the United States being highly affected. A vaccine provides the best hope for a permanent solution to controlling the pandemic. However, to be effective, a vaccine must be accepted and used by a large majority of the population. The aim of this study was to understand the attitudes towards and obstacles facing vaccination with a potential COVID-19 vaccine. To measure these attitudes a survey was administered to 316 respondents across the United States by a survey corporation. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the relationships of several factors with attitudes toward potential COVID-19 vaccination. Prior vaccine usage and attitudes predicted attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination. Assessment of the severity of COVID-19 for the United States was also predictive. Approximately 68% of all respondents were supportive of being vaccinated for COVID-19, but side effects, efficacy and length of testing remained concerns. Longer testing, increased efficacy and development in the United States were significantly associated with increased vaccine acceptance. Messages promoting COVID-19 vaccination should seek to alleviate the concerns of those who are already vaccine-hesitant. Messaging directed at the benefits of vaccination for the United States as a country would address the second predictive factor. Enough time should be taken to allay concerns about both short- and long-term side effects before a vaccine is released.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Kelly Winstanley ◽  
Noel Tracey ◽  
Ashley Mancey-Johnson ◽  
Kevin Gournay

The COVID-19 crisis has impacted on us all. However, people living with long-term mental health problems will remain vulnerable over the coming months, because of the restrictions that will remain in place until a vaccine has been discovered and used on the wider population. This paper describes how Northern Healthcare, an organisation that has developed a model of enhanced supported living for this population, has responded to the crisis. This response has seen a focus on residents, staff and on measures aimed at alleviating the burden on the wider NHS. Of importance, there are lessons to be learned, as it is entirely possible that the world will need to deal with future, similar pandemics.


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