Description:
Context: The Rohingyan people in Myanmar are a severely persecuted minority ethnic group constituting one of the largest stateless ethnic groups; thousands of them reside in refugee camps in south-eastern Bangladesh. There have been few studies on the Rohingya people’s mental health issues caused by persecutions, wars, and other historical trauma, nor has the role of daily environmental stressors associated with continued displacement, statelessness, and life in their refugee camps been thoroughly studied. Aim: To assess the prevalence of psychological distress of female Rohingya refugees and investigate how the demographic factor was associated with the mental health status of the female Rohingya refugees currently residing in Malaysia. Method: A cross-sectional study among the refugees whose ages ranged from 18 to 65 years old was conducted using a convenience sampling. All respondents were female Rohingya refugees who were 18 years old or older. WHO-UNHCR ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE OF SERIOUS SYMPTOMS IN HUMANITARIAN SETTINGS (WASSS) toolkit was used as a tool measuring and reporting the mental health symptoms and impaired functioning, and responses to the questions obtained from the assessment questionnaire were analyzed in accordance with the recommendation provided by the toolkit. These questions were aimed at seeking responses to the statements, addressing any feelings of fear, anger, fatigue, disinterest, hopelessness, or distress during the two-week period prior to the interview. Results: Responses to the specific mental health symptoms were analyzed, and the percentages were calculated based on the presence of each of these symptoms. 90 female refugees participated in this study. The prevalence of psychological distress of those female Rohingya refugees was 53.3%. Several factors associated with mental health statuses, such as employment status, were found. Unemployed female refugees showed a higher prevalence of psychological distress. Conclusion: Environmental stressors such as lack of employment rights had affected mental health outcomes and produced psychosocial outcomes, so they themselves became a stressor such as social isolation. Efforts such as planning, implementing or researching the mental health and psychosocial support considerations should be made for any programs in humanitarian crises, particularly in situations in which forced displacement takes place with the refugees in order to mobilize the individual and collective strengths of the Rohingya refugees and build on their resilience.

URL:
http://103.158.96.210:88/web_repository/uploads/jppres.9.suppl1_MICPS_2021.pdf

Type:
Journal

Document:
Diploma III Farmasi

Date:
23-06-2024

Author:
Ahmad Rashidi Mohamed Tahir