December 22, 2022 Journal article Open Access

Mumin,Farah I.; Fred D. Wesonga; Handuleh,Jibril I. M.; Ross G. White; Siobhan M. Mor

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{
  "DOI": "10.1186/s12889-022-14878-z", 
  "abstract": "<p>Abstract</p>\n\n<p>Background</p>\n\n<p>Somalia has over 2.6&nbsp;million internally displaced people (IDP) that depend on daily wages and humanitarian assistance for their livelihoods. This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on livelihoods, food security and mental health of Somalia&rsquo;s IDPs.</p>\n\n<p>Methods</p>\n\n<p>A questionnaire was conducted with &ldquo;breadwinners&rdquo; (<em>n</em>&thinsp;=&thinsp;585) residing in 15 randomly selected IDP camps. Mental health was assessed using the 5-item World Health Organization Wellbeing Index (WHO-5) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Multivariable regression was used to explore the effect of depressive symptoms on soap use and ability to pay for food/medicine/rent.</p>\n\n<p>Results</p>\n\n<p>Knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms, transmission and prevention was relatively high, however only 55% reported using soap for hand washing. Around one third perceived that prohibition of public gatherings had negatively impacted weekly earnings. Participants reported difficulty buying food (85%), medicine (82%) and paying rent (51%) because of COVID-19. The majority were assessed as having low wellbeing and high depressive symptoms (mean WHO-5&thinsp;=&thinsp;44.2/100; mean PHQ-9&thinsp;=&thinsp;18.6/27), with most (74%) indicating that they felt worse than before the pandemic. Compared to people with low depressive symptoms, people with high depressive symptoms were less likely to use soap (aOR&thinsp;=&thinsp;0.3, 95% CI&thinsp;=&thinsp;0.2, 0.7;&nbsp;<em>P</em>&thinsp;&lt;&thinsp;0.001) and more likely to report difficulty buying food (aOR&thinsp;=&thinsp;2.2; 95% CI&thinsp;=&thinsp;1.1, 4.3;&nbsp;<em>P</em>&thinsp;=&thinsp;0.02).</p>\n\n<p>Conclusion</p>\n\n<p>COVID-19 and associated restrictions have negatively impacted Somalia&rsquo;s internally displaced population. Livelihood and mental health support is urgently needed in the recovery phase of the pandemic and should be factored into future pandemic planning.</p>", 
  "author": [
    {
      "family": "Mumin,Farah I."
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Fred D. Wesonga"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Handuleh,Jibril I. M."
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Ross G. White"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Siobhan M. Mor"
    }
  ], 
  "id": "492", 
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2022, 
        12, 
        22
      ]
    ]
  }, 
  "title": "COVID-19 and its prevention in internally displaced person (IDP) camps in Somalia: impact on livelihood, food security and mental health", 
  "type": "article-journal"
}