title: Changes in mental disorder prevalence among conflict-affected populations: a prospective study in Sri Lanka (COMRAID-R).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Longitudinal data are lacking on mental health trajectories following conflict resolution and return migration. COMRAID-R is a follow-up study of Muslims displaced by conflict from Northern Sri Lanka 20 years ago who are now beginning to return.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 450 participants in displacement interviewed in 2011, 338 (75.1%) were re-interviewed a year later, and a supplementary random sample (n = 228) was drawn from return migrants with a comparable displacement history. Common mental disorder (CMD; Patient Health Questionnaire) and post-traumatic stress disorder (CIDI-subscale) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A CMD prevalence of 18.8% (95%CI 15.2-22.5) at baseline had reduced to 8.6% (5.6-11.7) at follow-up in those remaining in displacement, and was 10.3% (6.5-14.1) in return migrants. PTSD prevalences were 2.4%, 0.3% and 1.6% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed a substantial decrease in CMD prevalence in this population over a short period, which may reflect the prospect of return migration and associated optimism following conflict resolution.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Science, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, UK. chesmal@gmail.com.|King's College London (Institute of Psychiatry), London, UK. chesmal@gmail.com.|Institute for Research and Development, Colombo, Sri Lanka. chesmal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chesmal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Siriwardhana
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research and Development, Colombo, Sri Lanka. anushka.adikari@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Anushka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adikari
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research and Development, Colombo, Sri Lanka. gayanipannala@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Gayani
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pannala
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. bayard.roberts@lshtm.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Bayard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. sisira.siribaddana@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sisira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siribaddana
authors.affiliation: King's College London (Institute of Psychiatry), London, UK. melanie.abas@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abas
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research and Development, Colombo, Sri Lanka. athula.sumathipala@kcl.ac.uk.|Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, UK. athula.sumathipala@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Athula
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sumathipala
authors.affiliation: King's College London (Institute of Psychiatry), London, UK. robert.stewart@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult