Assessing mental health outcomes of political violence and civil unrest in Peru.
BACKGROUND
Sustained political violence (SPV) may have long-term effects.


OBJECTIVE
To assess mental and residual effects of exposure to SPV. To validate a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) assessment tool in Quechua-speaking Peru.


METHODS
Survey of 373 individuals aged 15 and over using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-25) and a Trauma Questionnaire (TQ), derived from the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire. Sociodemographics were recorded. Reliability was assessed. Data reduction used factor analysis and modelling multiple regressions.


RESULTS
A quarter of the sample had symptoms compatible with PTSD. Questionnaire reliability ranged from 0.81 to 0.89. Factor analysis confirmed high construct validity for TQ and HSCL-25. Modelling showed a strong association of PTSD-related symptoms and expressions of distress with the degree of exposure to SPV, especially among returnees.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term consequences of exposure to SPV take the form of PTSD, anxiety and depressive disorders, and culturally formulated expressions of distress. Some implications for clinicians are discussed.
Tremblay
Jacques
J
Department of Psychiatry and Douglas Institute Research Center, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. trejac@douglas.mcgill.ca
Pedersen
Duncan
D
Errazuriz
Consuelo
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult