Health in Conflict Zones: Analyzing Inequalities in Mental Health in Colombian Conflict-Affected Territories — León-Giraldo 2021

This study examines the magnitude of mental health inequalities in conflict-affected territories in Colombia, based on data collected in 2018 using the household survey Conflicto, Paz y Salud (CONPAS) applied to 1,309 households in Meta, Colombia. Results show that individuals with lower socio-economic status are at a higher risk for mental health disorders, while forced displacement accounts for 31% of the measures. Disparities in employment, education level, disability and conflict incidence between municipalities are other contributing factors. Women and people with disabilities are, respectively, 2.3 and 1.2 times more prone to present mental health disorders. It is necessary to tackle the identified risk factors and sociodemographic circumstances that contribute to foster adequate/equitable access to mental health services.

León-Giraldo S, Casas G, Cuervo-Sanchez JS, González-Uribe C, Bernal O, Moreno-Serra R, Suhrcke M. Health in Conflict Zones: Analyzing Inequalities in Mental Health in Colombian Conflict-Affected Territories. Int J Public Health. 2021 May 17;66:595311. doi: 10.3389/ijph.2021.595311. PMID: 34744562; PMCID: PMC8565266.