title: Psychotic-like experiences in a conflict-affected population: a cross-sectional study in South Sudan.
abstract: This study investigates the prevalence of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) and examines exposure to potentially traumatic events and other relevant risk factors for PLEs in the general population of a conflict-affected, low-income country.
  
  
  
  We conducted a cross-sectional community based study of four Greater Bahr el Ghazal States, South Sudan (n = 1200). The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire was applied to investigate exposure to potentially traumatic events. The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview was used to detect PLEs.
  
  
  
  The estimated prevalence of lifetime PLEs was 23.3 % and the rate of PLEs which were evaluated as bizarre was 9.5 %. Exposure to higher number of potentially traumatic events, younger age, rural residency, being unemployed, not having a regular income and having traditional religion were significantly associated with having PLEs. PLEs were significantly associated with reporting of psychological distress when controlling for other covariates.
  
  
  
  The finding of association between traumatic exposure and PLEs calls for greater attention to the diversity of negative mental health outcomes in conflict-affected populations.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O box 1171, Blindern, 0318, Oslo, Norway. touraj.ayazi@medisin.uio.no.
authors.forename: Touraj
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ayazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Alan J. Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, Stellenbosch University Private, Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Swartz
authors.affiliation: SINTEF Technology and Society, P.O. Box 124, Blindern, 0314, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Arne H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Eide
authors.affiliation: National Center for Dual Diagnosis, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Furnesvegen 26, 2380, Brumunddal, Norway.|Faculty of public health, Hedmark University College, P.O.Box 400, 2418, Elverum, Norway.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lien
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O box 1171, Blindern, 0318, Oslo, Norway.|Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Department of Research and Development, Oslo University Hospital, Ulleval Kirkeveien 166, Building 20, 0407, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Edvard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hauff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000068037:South Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000067453:War Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Conflict-affected; Potentially traumatic events; Psychotic-like experiences; South Sudan