Articles

An exploration of social determinants of health amongst internally displaced persons in northern Uganda

Social determinants of health describe the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age and their influence on health. These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power and re...

Authors: Bayard Roberts, Vicky Norah Odong, John Browne, Kaducu Felix Ocaka, Wenzel Geissler and Egbert Sondorp

Reporting Iraqi civilian fatalities in a time of war

In February, 2007, the Associated Press (AP) conducted a poll of 1,002 adults in the United States about their attitudes towards the war in Iraq. Respondents were remarkably accurate estimating the current dea...

Authors: Schuyler W Henderson, William E Olander and Les Roberts

Learning lessons from field surveys in humanitarian contexts: a case study of field surveys conducted in North Kivu, DRC 2006-2008

Survey estimates of mortality and malnutrition are commonly used to guide humanitarian decision-making. Currently, different methods of conducting field surveys are the subject of debate among epidemiologists....

Authors: Rebecca F Grais, Francisco J Luquero, Emmanuel Grellety, Heloise Pham, Benjamin Coghlan and Pierre Salignon

Ethics of conducting research in conflict settings

Humanitarian agencies are increasingly engaged in research in conflict and post-conflict settings. This is justified by the need to improve the quality of assistance provided in these settings and to collect e...

Authors: Nathan Ford, Edward J Mills, Rony Zachariah and Ross Upshur

Trauma, poverty and mental health among Somali and Rwandese refugees living in an African refugee settlement – an epidemiological study

The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among Rwandese and Somali refugees resident in a Ugandan refugee settlement, as a measure of the men...

Authors: Lamaro P Onyut, Frank Neuner, Verena Ertl, Elisabeth Schauer, Michael Odenwald and Thomas Elbert

Impact of the Kenya post-election crisis on clinic attendance and medication adherence for HIV-infected children in western Kenya

Kenya experienced a political and humanitarian crisis following presidential elections on 27 December 2007. Over 1,200 people were killed and 300,000 displaced, with disproportionate violence in western Kenya....

Authors: Rachel C Vreeman, Winstone M Nyandiko, Edwin Sang, Beverly S Musick, Paula Braitstein and Sarah E Wiehe

Mortality, violence and access to care in two districts of Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Towards the end of 2006 open conflict broke out between United Nations forces and armed militia in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Fighting was most intense in the district of Cité Soleil.

Authors: Frédérique Ponsar, Nathan Ford, Michel Van Herp, Silvia Mancini and Catherine Bachy

Sexual violence in the protracted conflict of DRC programming for rape survivors in South Kivu

Despite international acknowledgement of the linkages between sexual violence and conflict, reliable data on its prevalence, the circumstances, characteristics of perpetrators, and physical or mental health im...

Authors: Birthe Steiner, Marie T Benner, Egbert Sondorp, K Peter Schmitz, Ursula Mesmer and Sandrine Rosenberger

Coming together to document mortality in conflict situations: proceedings of a symposium

The use of epidemiology in documenting the mortality experience in complex emergencies has become pervasive in humanitarian practice. Recent assessments in Iraq and Darfur have provoked much discussion on the ...

Authors: Ruwan Ratnayake, Olivier Degomme and Debarati Guha-Sapir

Universal access: the benefits and challenges in bringing integrated HIV care to isolated and conflict affected populations in the Republic of Congo

The Pool region of the Republic of Congo is an isolated, conflict-affected area with under-resourced and poorly functioning health care services. Despite significant AIDS-related mortality and morbidity in thi...

Authors: Daniel P O'Brien, Clair Mills, Catherine Hamel, Nathan Ford and Kevin Pottie

Providing HIV care in the aftermath of Kenya's post-election violence Medecins Sans Frontieres' lessons learned January – March 2008

Kenya's post-election violence in early 2008 created considerable problems for health services, and in particular, those providing HIV care. It was feared that the disruptions in services would lead to widespr...

Authors: Tony Reid, Ian van Engelgem, Barbara Telfer and Marcel Manzi

Reproductive health for refugees by refugees in Guinea II: sexually transmitted infections

Providing reproductive and sexual health services is an important and challenging aspect of caring for displaced populations, and preventive and curative sexual health services may play a role in reducing HIV ...

Authors: Mark I Chen, Anna von Roenne, Yaya Souare, Franz von Roenne, Akaco Ekirapa, Natasha Howard and Matthias Borchert

Differences in HIV-related behaviors at Lugufu refugee camp and surrounding host villages, Tanzania

An HIV behavioral surveillance survey was undertaken in November 2005 at Lugufu refugee camp and surrounding host villages, located near western Tanzania's border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Authors: Elizabeth A Rowley, Paul B Spiegel, Zawadi Tunze, Godfrey Mbaruku, Marian Schilperoord and Patterson Njogu

Reproductive health services for refugees by refugees in Guinea I: family planning

Comprehensive studies of family planning (FP) in refugee camps are relatively uncommon. This paper examines gender and age differences in family planning knowledge, attitudes, and practices among Sierra Leonea...

Authors: Natasha Howard, Sarah Kollie, Yaya Souare, Anna von Roenne, David Blankhart, Claire Newey, Mark I Chen and Matthias Borchert

Conflict in the Indian Kashmir Valley II: psychosocial impact

India and Pakistan have disputed ownership of the Kashmir Valley region for many years, resulting in high levels of exposure to violence among the civilian population of Kashmir (India). A survey was done as p...

Authors: Kaz de Jong, Saskia van de Kam, Nathan Ford, Kamalini Lokuge, Silke Fromm, Renate van Galen, Brigg Reilley and Rolf Kleber

Conflict in the Indian Kashmir Valley I: exposure to violence

India and Pakistan have disputed ownership of the Kashmir Valley region for many years, resulting in several conflicts since the end of partition in 1947. Very little is known about the prevalence of violence ...

Authors: Kaz de Jong, Nathan Ford, Saskia van de Kam, Kamalini Lokuge, Silke Fromm, Renate van Galen, Brigg Reilley and Rolf Kleber

Users' guides to the medical literature: how to use an article about mortality in a humanitarian emergency

The accurate interpretation of mortality surveys in humanitarian crises is useful for both public health responses and security responses. Recent examples suggest that few medical personnel and researchers can...

Authors: Edward J Mills, Francesco Checchi, James J Orbinski, Michael J Schull, Frederick M Burkle Jr, Chris Beyrer, Curtis Cooper, Colleen Hardy, Sonal Singh, Richard Garfield, Bradley A Woodruff and Gordon H Guyatt

HIV transmission as a result of drug market violence: a case report

While unprotected sexual intercourse and the use of contaminated injection equipment account for the majority of HIV infections worldwide, other routes of HIV transmission have received less attention. We repo...

Authors: Will Small, Thomas Kerr and Evan Wood

Patients' opinion on the barriers to diabetes control in areas of conflicts: The Iraqi example

The health system in Iraq has undergone progressive decline since the embargo that followed the second gulf war in 1991. The aim of this study is to see barriers to glycemic control form the patient perspectiv...

Authors: Abbas Ali Mansour

Antismoking messages and current cigarette smoking status in Somaliland: results from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey 2004

Tobacco is a leading cause of death globally. There are limited reports on current cigarette smoking prevalence and its associated-antismoking messages among adolescents in conflict zones of the world. We, the...

Authors: Seter Siziya, Emmanuel Rudatsikira and Adamson S Muula

An assessment of vulnerability to HIV infection of boatmen in Teknaf, Bangladesh

Mobile population groups are at high risk for contracting HIV infection. Many factors contribute to this risk including high prevalence of risky behavior and increased risk of violence due to conflict and war....

Authors: Rukhsana Gazi, Alec Mercer, Tanyaporn Wansom, Humayun Kabir, Nirod Chandra Saha and Tasnim Azim

Displacement and disease: The Shan exodus and infectious disease implications for Thailand

Decades of neglect and abuses by the Burmese government have decimated the health of the peoples of Burma, particularly along her eastern frontiers, overwhelmingly populated by ethnic minorities such as the Sh...

Authors: Voravit Suwanvanichkij

Increase coverage of HIV and AIDS services in Myanmar

Myanmar is experiencing an HIV epidemic documented since the late 1980s. The National AIDS Programme national surveillance ante-natal clinics had already estimated in 1993 that 1.4% of pregnant women were HIV ...

Authors: Brian Williams, Daniel Baker, Markus Bühler and Charles Petrie

Responding to infectious diseases in Burma and her border regions

Authors: Chris Beyrer and Thomas J Lee

Iraq War mortality estimates: A systematic review

In March 2003, the United States invaded Iraq. The subsequent number, rates, and causes of mortality in Iraq resulting from the war remain unclear, despite intense international attention. Understanding mortal...

Authors: Christine Tapp, Frederick M Burkle Jr, Kumanan Wilson, Tim Takaro, Gordon H Guyatt, Hani Amad and Edward J Mills

Delays in childhood immunization in a conflict area: a study from Sierra Leone during civil war

Sierra Leone has undergone a decade of civil war from 1991 to 2001. From this period few data on immunization coverage are available, and conflict-related delays in immunization according to the Expanded Progr...

Authors: Charles Senessie, George N Gage and Erik von Elm

Correlates of current cigarette smoking among in-school adolescents in the Kurdistan region of Iraq

Many adult cigarette smokers initiated the habit as adolescents. Adolescent tobacco use may be a marker of other unhealthy behaviours. There are limited data on the prevalence and correlates of cigarette smoki...

Authors: Seter Siziya, Adamson S Muula and Emmanuel Rudatsikira

Geographical information system and access to HIV testing, treatment and prevention of mother-to-child transmission in conflict affected Northern Uganda

Using Geographical Information System (GIS) as a tool to determine access to and gaps in providing HIV counselling and testing (VCT), treatment (ART) and mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services in confli...

Authors: Dick D Chamla, Olushayo Olu, Jennifer Wanyana, Nasan Natseri, Eddie Mukooyo, Sam Okware, Abdikamal Alisalad and Melville George

Public health, conflict and human rights: toward a collaborative research agenda

Although epidemiology is increasingly contributing to policy debates on issues of conflict and human rights, its potential is still underutilized. As a result, this article calls for greater collaboration betw...

Authors: Oskar NT Thoms and James Ron

Screening for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among Somali ex-combatants: A validation study

In Somalia, a large number of active and former combatants are affected by psychological problems such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This disorder impairs their ability to re-integrate into civilian...

Authors: Michael Odenwald, Birke Lingenfelder, Maggie Schauer, Frank Neuner, Brigitte Rockstroh, Harald Hinkel and Thomas Elbert

Prevalence of plasmodium falciparum in active conflict areas of eastern Burma: a summary of cross-sectional data

Burma records the highest number of malaria deaths in southeast Asia and may represent a reservoir of infection for its neighbors, but the burden of disease and magnitude of transmission among border populatio...

Authors: Adam K Richards, Linda Smith, Luke C Mullany, Catherine I Lee, Emily Whichard, Kristin Banek, Mahn Mahn, Eh Kalu Shwe Oo and Thomas J Lee

Building cooperation through health initiatives: an Arab and Israeli case study

Ongoing conflict in the Middle East poses a major threat to health and security. A project screening Arab and Israeli newborns for hearing loss provided an opportunity to evaluate ways for building cooperation...

Authors: Harvey A Skinner and Abi Sriharan

Health care in Bosnia and Herzegovina before, during, and after 1992–1995 war: a personal testimony

Market-based health care reform during democratic transition in Bosnia and Herzegovina was complicated by the 1992–1995 war, that devastated the country and greater part of its health care infrastructure. The ...

Authors: Vladimir J Šimunović

Civil conflict and sleeping sickness in Africa in general and Uganda in particular

Conflict and war have long been recognized as determinants of infectious disease risk. Re-emergence of epidemic sleeping sickness in sub-Saharan Africa since the 1970s has coincided with extensive civil confli...

Authors: Lea Berrang Ford

Association between expatriation and HIV awareness and knowledge among injecting drug users in Kabul, Afghanistan: A cross-sectional comparison of former refugees to those remaining during conflict

Little is known about human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) awareness among Afghan injecting drug users (IDUs), many of whom initiated injecting as refugees. We explored whether differences in HIV awareness and k...

Authors: Catherine S Todd, Abdullah MS Abed, Steffanie A Strathdee, Paul T Scott, Boulos A Botros, Naqibullah Safi and Kenneth C Earhart

The trauma of ongoing conflict and displacement in Chechnya: quantitative assessment of living conditions, and psychosocial and general health status among war displaced in Chechnya and Ingushetia

Conflict in Chechnya has resulted in over a decade of violence, human rights abuses, criminality and poverty, and a steady flow of displaced seeking refuge throughout the region. At the beginning of 2004 MSF u...

Authors: Kaz de Jong, Saskia van der Kam, Nathan Ford, Sally Hargreaves, Richard van Oosten, Debbie Cunningham, Gerry Boots, Elodie Andrault and Rolf Kleber

HIV-1 prevalence and factors associated with infection in the conflict-affected region of North Uganda

Since 1986, northern Uganda has been severely affected by civil strife with most of its population currently living internally displaced in protected camps. This study aims at estimating the HIV-1 prevalence a...

Authors: Massimo Fabiani, Barbara Nattabi, Chiara Pierotti, Filippo Ciantia, Alex A Opio, Joshua Musinguzi, Emintone O Ayella and Silvia Declich

Occurrence and overlap of natural disasters, complex emergencies and epidemics during the past decade (1995–2004)

The fields of expertise of natural disasters and complex emergencies (CEs) are quite distinct, with different tools for mitigation and response as well as different types of competent organizations and qualifi...

Authors: Paul B Spiegel, Phuoc Le, Mija-Tesse Ververs and Peter Salama

Conflict and health: a paradigm shift in global health and human rights

Authors: Sonal Singh, James J Orbinski and Edward J Mills