Assessment of the Prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Coping Strategies among Internally Displaced Persons in Maiduguri, Borno State Nigeria

Abstract

The emergence of terrorist attacks, violent crimes, abuse, and personal assaults by Boko-Haram in Nigeria have resulted to the displacement of many to internally displaced (IDPs) camps. Many people lost their properties, loved ones, jobs, homes, and farmland, girls and women were raped. These problems predisposed them to psychological traumas that needs serious interventions. On this premise, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of PTSD, and coping strategies among internally displaced persons at IDPS camp in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. Descriptive cross-sectional design of mixed method was used in the study and the population of the study covers all registered IDPs lives in IDPs camps in Maiduguri metropolis, Borno state. Multistage sampling procedure was adopted and a sample of 500 participants were used for the study. Questionnaire and PTSD checklist civilian version was used as instrument for data collection. Data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, percentage and mean score. The result of the findings shows that more than half of the respondents 260 (59.5%) have severe symptoms of PTSD, and the coping (2.2) strategies was poor below the benchmark of 2.5 mean score. The study concludes that there is significant prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among internally displaced persons (IDPs), with poor coping strategies. It was recommended among others that measures should be put in place by government, non-governmental agencies and stakeholders involved to include mental health intervention in the rehabilitation of victims of insurgency who show sone or more symptoms of PTSD.