The quality of life and its inter-relationship with posttraumatic stress disorder and social support in two post-conflict communities in Nigeria.

The study aimed to compare the quality of life (QoL) in two communities with different exposures to conflict and investigate the inter-relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social support, and QoL. This is a cross-sectional with 413 participants. Study instruments included the PTSD module of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), the World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF (WHOQoL-BREF), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The family domain of social support was protective of both PTSD and QoL. Except for the relationship between community's location and the physical subscale of the QoL, a hierarchical regression analysis showed that all the independent variables were significantly associated with the QoL domains. Direct exposure to crises impaired QoL more than areas indirectly exposed. PTSD and the family domain of social support play a significant role in the QoL outcome. This suggests that therapeutic intervention to improve QoL should target these key variables.

A comparative study of posttraumatic stress disorder in two post-conflict communities in Benue state Nigeria.

Background: The attendant long-term mental health consequence of the conflict of various kinds in Nigeria is yet to be thoroughly investigated. The Tiv-Fulani farmer-herdsmen crisis is one such conflict that occurred in 2013/2014 in Guma local government in Benue state. Aims: This study seeks to find out some years after the crisis, the prevalence difference in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) between a community (Uikpiam) with direct exposure to the conflict and another (Daudu) with indirect exposure, the pattern of distribution of PTSD symptoms and the associate factors of PTSD. Methods: It is a cross-sectional one that employed a multi-stage cluster sampling method to select 413 participants; 135 from Uikpiam and 278 from Daudu. The study instruments administered included a questionnaire with some socio-demographic variables and an extract from the PTSD module of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Results: The prevalence rate of PTSD was higher in Uikpiam (16.3%) when compared to Daudu (4.3%). A high proportion of sub-threshold symptoms of PTSD was recorded in both communities. An association was found between a lower educational qualification and PTSD (χ2 = 8.373; p = 0.039). Conclusion: PTSD can be a prolonged mental ill-effect of crisis and proximity to trauma sites increases vulnerability including lower education. This study looked at PTSD only as an outcome of this crisis, but mental health adverse outcomes of the crisis may not be limited to this alone, hence the need for further investigations for relevant stakeholders to act.

Prevalence of depression and associated clinical and socio-demographic factors in people living with lymphatic filariasis in Plateau State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Lymphatic filariasis is a chronic, disabling and often disfiguring condition that principally impacts the world's poorest people. In addition to the well-recognised physical disability associated with lymphedema and hydrocele, affected people often experience rejection, stigma and discrimination. The resulting emotional consequences are known to impact on the quality of life and the functioning of the affected individuals. However, the management of this condition has focused on prevention and treatment through mass drug administration, with scant attention paid to the emotional impact of the condition on affected individuals. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of depression among individuals with physical disfigurement from lymphatic filariasis in Plateau State, Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional 2-stage convenience study was conducted at 5 designated treatment centers across Plateau State, Nigeria. All available and consenting clients with clearly visible physical disfigurement were recruited. A semi-structured socio-demographic questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-esteem and a 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were administered at the first stage. Those who screened positive (with a PHQ-9 score of five and above) were further interviewed using the Depression module of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). RESULTS: Ninety-eight individuals met the criteria and provided consent. Twenty percent of the respondents met criteria for depression, with the following proportions based on severity: Mild (42.1%), Moderate (31.6%) and Severe (26.3%). History of mental illness (OR 40.83, p = 0.008); Median duration of the illness was 17 years (IQR 7.0-30 years) and being unemployed (OR 12.71, p = 0.003) were predictive of depression. High self-esteem was negatively correlated (OR 0.09, p<0.004). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of depression is high among individuals with lymphatic filariasis and depression in sufferers is associated with low self-esteem and low levels of life satisfaction.