Co esponding au ho : Ahmed Yassin Ome Ahmed
Copy igh © 2025 Au ho (s) e ain he copy igh o his a icle. This a icle is published unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons A ibu ion Liscense 4.0.
Men al heal h consequences in popula ions exposed o wa and iolence: A global
heal h c isis
Ahmed Yassin Ome Ahmed 1, *, Hisham El asheed Khide 2 and Radwan Alba bandi 3
1 Newing on Cen e, Hull, Uni ed Kingdom.
2 Glengow ie Medical complex, Adelaide, Aus alia.
3 Uniheal h clinic, Adelaide, Aus alia.
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 27(02), 1368-1371
Publica ion his o y: Recei ed on 10 July 2025; e ised on 17 Augus 2025; accep ed on 19 Augus 2025
A icle DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.30574/wja .2025.27.2.2983
Abs ac
Wa con lic s and iolence zones in lic de as a ing physical, social, and psychological consequences on a ec ed
popula ions. This pape explo es he men al heal h impac s on ci ilians and comba an s exposed o a med con lic ,
o ced displacemen , and ch onic iolence. Pos - auma ic s ess diso de (PTSD), dep ession, anxie y, and subs ance
abuse a e highly p e alen in hese en i onmen s. Vulne able popula ions, including child en, women, and he elde ly,
ace ele a ed isks. Limi ed access o men al heal h se ices exace ba es su e ing, pa icula ly in low- esou ce se ings.
E idence-based in e en ions— anging om auma-in o med ca e o communi y-based psychosocial suppo —a e
u gen ly needed o add ess his g owing c isis. In e na ional collabo a ion is essen ial o scale men al heal h se ices
in con lic -a ec ed a eas and in eg a e men al heal h in o eme gency esponse amewo ks.
Keywo ds: Dep ession; PTSD; Con lic s. Men al Heal h; T auma
1. In oduc ion
A med con lic s and p olonged iolence ha e escala ed globally, esul ing in signi ican humani a ian c ises. Beyond he
isible oll o inju y and displacemen , wa zones p oduce p o ound men al heal h consequences ha a e o en
unde ecognized and unde ea ed. This pape aims o examine he psychological bu den o wa on a ec ed indi iduals
and communi ies, iden i y key isk ac o s, and explo e scalable solu ions o men al heal h ca e deli e y in con lic
se ings.
2. Ma e ials and me hod
This pape is a na a i e e iew o pee - e iewed a icles, sys ema ic e iews, and epo s om in e na ional
o ganiza ions add essing men al heal h in con lic se ings. Sou ces we e iden i ied h ough PubMed, Scopus, Google
Schola , and g ey li e a u e om WHO and UNHCR, using e ms such as wa , con lic , PTSD, dep ession, and auma.
Findings we e syn hesized hema ically o highligh p e alence, isk ac o s, se ice gaps, and in e en ion s a egies.
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 27(02), 1368-1371
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3. Resul s and discussion
3.1. P e alence
Table 1 P e alence o Common Men al Diso de s in Con lic -A ec ed Popula ions: [1,2,3]
Diso de
Es ima ed
P e alence
No es
PTSD
15–30%
Highe among indi iduals wi h di ec exposu e o iolence.
Dep ession
20–40%
Common in bo h ci ilians and displaced pe sons.
Gene alized Anxie y
Diso de
10–30%
O en co-occu s wi h PTSD o dep ession.
Subs ance Use Diso de s
5–20%
F equen ly unde epo ed; mo e p e alen in p o ac ed
con lic zones.
Suicidal Idea ion
10–15%
Ele a ed in you h and su i o s o sexual o gende -based
iolence.
Figu e 1 Es ima ed p e alence o men al diso de s in con lic a ec ed popula ions
Child en and adolescen s, who comp ise a signi ican p opo ion o e ugee and displaced popula ions, show highe
a es o de elopmen al delays, beha iou al p oblems, and suicidal idea ion. [4]
3.2. Risk Fac o s o Psychological Dis ess
Key ac o s con ibu ing o poo men al heal h ou comes in wa zones include:
• Di ec exposu e o iolence: To u e, sexual iolence, loss o lo ed ones, and wi nessing a oci ies. [4]
• Displacemen and e ugee s a us: Fo ced mig a ion dis up s social ne wo ks and access o ca e.
• Po e y and ood insecu i y: Inc ease emo ional dis ess and dec ease coping capaci y.
• Lack o access o heal h se ices: In as uc u al collapse limi s ea men a ailabili y.
Women and gi ls ace unique isks due o inc eased gende -based iolence, while olde adul s may su e compounded
auma om wa laye ed on o exis ing ulne abili ies.
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 27(02), 1368-1371
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3.3. Case S udies and Regional Pe spec i es
• Sy ia: Ongoing con lic since 2011 has le millions wi h un ea ed psychological auma. Humani a ian
men al heal h se ices a e agmen ed. [5]
• Uk aine: The wa has led o a su ge in PTSD and dep essi e diso de s, wi h in as uc u e o men al
heal h suppo o e whelmed. [6]
• Democ a ic Republic o Congo: P o ac ed con lic and sexual iolence ha e c ea ed ch onic auma
exposu e wi h minimal psychia ic esou ces a ailable. [7]
• Sudan: The ongoing wa esul ed in medical in as uc u e des uc ion, sho age o ained p o essionals
and widesp ead men al diso de s o add o he al eady s igma ha ensh ouds men al illness. [8].
3.4. Gaps in Men al Heal h Se ices
In mos con lic -a ec ed egions:
• Men al heal h ca e is no in eg a ed in o p ima y heal h sys ems.
• Sho age o ained p o essionals (psychia is s, psychologis s, social wo ke s).
• S igma limi s help-seeking beha iou .
• Eme gency esponses o en o e look men al heal h needs.
3.5. In e en ion S a egies
Table 2 E idence-Based In e en ions o Con lic -A ec ed Men al Heal h[9, 10]
In e en ion
Ta ge G oup
Deli e y Me hod
E ec i eness
Psychological Fi s Aid (PFA)
Gene al
popula ion
T ained communi y
wo ke s
Reduces acu e dis ess
T auma-Focused CBT
Adul s/Child en
Indi idual o g oup
he apy
High o PTSD
G oup In e pe sonal The apy (IPT-
G)
Adul s
G oup sessions
Mode a e o high
dep ession
mhGAP-HIG[11]
All ages
P ima y heal h ca e
wo ke s
Scalable and adap able
Pee -led Suppo P og ams
Re ugees/IDPs
T ained lay counsello s
Cos -e ec i e, scalable
3.6. Recommenda ions and Fu u e Di ec ions
• In eg a e men al heal h in o humani a ian aid p o ocols.
• T ain non-specialis s using WHO’s Men al Heal h Gap Ac ion P og amme (mhGAP).
• Cul u ally adap in e en ions o local popula ions.
• S eng hen esea ch on long- e m ou comes and e ec i eness o scalable models.
• Add ess s uc u al ac o s—po e y, displacemen , and disc imina ion— ha compound men al heal h
isks.
4. Conclusion
The psychological impac o wa and iolence is a public heal h eme gency. Men al heal h mus be iewed as an essen ial
componen o humani a ian and pos -con lic eco e y e o s. Global and local s akeholde s mus in es in e idence-
based, cul u ally sensi i e, and scalable solu ions o educe he men al heal h bu den in wa -a ec ed popula ions.
Compliance wi h e hical s anda ds
Disclosu e o con lic o in e es
The au ho s decla e ha hey ha e no con lic s o in e es .
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 27(02), 1368-1371
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S a emen o in o med consen
The pa ien p o ided e bal consen o publica ion o his anonymized case.
Re e ences
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