title: [Stigma and Mental Health in Victims of Colombia's Internal Armed Conflict in Situation of Forced Displacement].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prolonged sociopolitical phenomenon of Colombian violence generated a high number of victims, many of whom suffered a continual process of internal displacement and stigma-discrimination complex.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To postulate possible mechanisms by which victims of Colombia's internal armed conflict in a situation of forced displacement were stigmatized and discriminated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stigma affects mental health, not only because it represents a major stressor for discriminated individuals and groups, but also because it accounts for inequalities and inequities in health. Initially, as the victims of the internal armed conflict in situation of forced displacement were not considered as such, but as responsible for the situation. Thus, they had to cope with the social and economic inequalities, explained partially by low categorization or status that they received, possibly due to poor construction of social capital in the country. Also, victims of the internal armed conflict suffer from intersectional stigma and discrimination due to other characteristics such as gender, sexual orientation, ethnic-racial origin, or meeting criteria for a mental disorder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An active process of inclusive social development is required for the displaced victims of the armed conflict,in order to reduce multiple stigma and ensure their mental health.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Investigación del Comportamiento Humano, Director de Investigaciones y Publicaciones del Instituto de Investigación del Comportamiento Humano (Human Behavioral Research Institute), Bogotá, Colombia. Electronic address: campoarias@comportamientohumano.org.
authors.forename: Adalberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campo-Arias
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Investigación del Comportamiento Humano, Director del Instituto de Investigación del Comportamiento Humano (Human Behavioral Research Institute), Bogotá, Colombia; Candidato a Doctor en Salud Pública, Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Herazo
keywords: Armed conflicts; Colombia; Conflictos armados; Discriminación social; Estigma social; Mental health; Salud mental; Social discrimination; Social stigma