Traumatic events, post-traumatic stress disorders, and gender among Yazidi population after ISIS invasion: A post conflict study in Kurdistan – Iraq

Abstract

Background: Traumatic experiences can lead to a range of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder depends on the cumulative exposure to traumatic stress. The Yazidis (Êzidî) are a Kurdish religious minority living in the north of Iraq, western Iran, eastern Turkey, and northern Syria. Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) had sought to destroy the Yazidis population through killings; sexual slavery, enslavement, torture, degrading treatment, and forcible migration causing serious physical and mental disorders. The objectives of the study were to estimate the prevalence of traumatic events and post-traumatic stress disorder among Yazidi population in Yazidi community and to assess the association between post-traumatic stress disorder and gender. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during period from June to August 2019. The participants were chosen by a random sampling method from Chammshko camp in Zakho district that it’s a city in Kurdistan region – Iraq. The questionnaire consisted of questions for demographical characteristics (e.g., gender, age, marital status, education, and job), and PTSD symptoms was assessed by using Harvard Trauma Questionnaire. Results: The females consisted 54.7% of the subjects. The majority of the participants were married (54.1%) and 98 (54.1%) of them were uneducated. About 79% of the subjects had PTSD symptoms. There was a statistically significant association between gender and PTSD, the female subjects had higher mean of trauma and PTSD symptoms scores (17.84 ± 3.5), (117.34 ± 13.8) respectively compare to that of male subjects (15.95 ± 3.1), (104.61 ± 18.8) respectively ( p < .001) Conclusion: High rate of PTSD among Yazidi population, Female subjects highly suffered from trauma and PTSD.