Village characteristics associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms in postconflict Liberia.

Journal: Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.)

Volume: 21

Issue: 4

Year of Publication: 2010

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. prockers@hsph.harvard.edu

Abstract summary 

Group-level factors may be associated with mental health. We assessed whether various village-level variables were associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms in a resettled postconflict population in Liberia.Individual surveys were administered to a population-based sample (n = 1434). We used multilevel random intercept linear regression models to estimate associations between individual- and village-level variables and posttraumatic-stress-symptom score.In a multilevel model taking into account individual-level covariates, living in a village with higher mean number of traumatic experiences or greater history of displacement was associated with a higher symptom score. Conversely, living in a village with a more equal distribution of household wealth was associated with lower symptom score.Characteristics of communities, as well as of individuals, may be important determinants of posttraumatic stress in low-income countries, such as Liberia, that are recovering from conflict.

Authors & Co-authors:  Rockers Kruk Saydee Varpilah Galea

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations : 
Authors :  5
Identifiers
Doi : 10.1097/EDE.0b013e3181df5fae
SSN : 1531-5487
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Adult
Other Terms
Study Design
Study Approach
Country of Study
Liberia
Publication Country
United States