The psychosocial effects of landmines in Jaffna

The victims of landmines in Jaffna were studied from a psychosocial perspective in order to identity major problem areas and give priorities for rehabilitation. Sixty-seven victims of landmines from April 1996 to March 1998 in the Valikamam area of Jaffna were studied. There were three times as many...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medicine, conflict, and survival conflict, and survival, 2003-07, Vol.19 (3), p.223-234
Main Authors: Gunaratnam, Hentry Roche, Gunaratnam, Sinothaya, Somasundaram, Daya
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Amputation, Traumatic - complications
Amputation, Traumatic - psychology
Blast Injuries - complications
Blast Injuries - psychology
Casualties
Child
Child, Preschool
Conflict
Female
Health
Humans
Injuries
Jaffna (city), Sri Lanka
Land mines
Landmines
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Male
Medical sector
Medicine
Mental Disorders - etiology
Mental Disorders - psychology
Mental Disorders - rehabilitation
Mental stress
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Psychosocial illness
Psychosociology
Rehabilitation
Social conditions
Socioeconomic Factors
Sri Lanka
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - etiology
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology
War
War injury
Weapons
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Summary:The victims of landmines in Jaffna were studied from a psychosocial perspective in order to identity major problem areas and give priorities for rehabilitation. Sixty-seven victims of landmines from April 1996 to March 1998 in the Valikamam area of Jaffna were studied. There were three times as many males as females. About 48 per cent were aged 20-39 years. About one-fifth of the victims were children. Of the females, 60 per cent were unmarried. The majority belonged to the lower socio-economic strata. Half lost their earning capacity after the injury. Post-traumatic stress disorder (72 per cent), acute stress reaction (73 per cent), anxiety disorder (80 per cent) and depression (73 per cent) were found to be very significantly higher in this group than in the general population. There were also remarkable changes in the areas of functional ability, religious practice, use of alcohol and social relationships. The 'phantom limb' phenomenon was a striking feature among amputees. The psychosocial impact of landmine injuries has to be considered seriously in rehabilitation work.
ISSN:1362-3699
1743-9396
DOI:10.1080/13623690308409693