Quality of Life of Kurdish Women from Martyrs’ Families in Kurdistan Region of Iraq as a Middle East Conflict Area
Abstract Background Quality of life (QOL) research develops data and insight into issues that pertain not only to the individual but also can apply to the population as a whole. This study aimed to analyze the QOL of Kurdish women from martyr families of Kurdistan region of Iraq.Methods A cross sectional study was conducted on 380 women from martyrs’ families who were patients at the Medical Center of Martyr Families in Erbil City during the period of January 2018 to April 2019. Through direct interviews data were collected and the WHOQOL-BREF scale was used for measuring the QOL. The samples were divided into four categories (quartiles) according their QOL score: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th quartile. Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-Square tests were used for data Analysis.Results The QOL domains of the study sample were set in following quartiles: Overall QOL and General Health Domain (66.6%) and Physical and Psychological Health Domain (56.9%) in 1st and 2nd quartiles, Social Relationships (47.9%) in 3rd quartile, Environment Domain (85.6%) in 2nd and 3rd quartile. The total QOL of more than half (52.1%) of the studied women were in 1st and 2nd quartiles.Conclusion Women of martyr families were not satisfied with their QOL especially in Physical and Psychological Domains. International political and humanitarian actions are needed to reduce the destructive consequences of war and conflicts on these suffering women.