Abstract:
Introduction: Internally displaced persons are people forced to leave their homes due to natural
or man-made disasters. Mental health illnesses were linked to conflict and displacement. Post traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety have the highest rates. However, there are few
studies on mental health among internally displaced persons in conflict-affected areas in Ethiopia.
To fill this information and methodological gap, structural equation modeling was used to
investigate the direct and indirect effects of factors.
Objective: The study aimed to assess the magnitude and determinants of post-traumatic stress
disorder, depression, and anxiety among internally displaced persons in the conflict area of
Metekel Zone, northwest Ethiopia, 2023.
Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 1042 participants
selected by Systematic sampling method. Data were collected using face-to-face interviews and
Structural Equation Modeling was used to assess the interrelationship among the variables.
Result: The magnitude of anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression were 74.56%,
76.9%, and 79.53% respectively. Being female (𝛽 = 0.566, 95% CI: 0.554, 0.580), death of
beloved one (𝛽 = 0.241, 95% CI: 0.192, 0.294), displaced two times (𝛽 = 0.136, 95% CI: 0.089,
0.184), and Social-support (𝛽 =-0.210, 95% CI: -0.346, 0.145) were factors that affected anxiety.
The significant factors for post-traumatic stress disorder were being female 𝛽 = 0.436, 95% CI:
0.377, 0.496), death of a beloved one (𝛽 = 0.341, 95% CI: 0.289, 0.394), social support (𝛽 = -
0.162, 95% CI: -0.222, -0.110) and anxiety (𝛽 = 0.773, 95% CI: 0.701, 0.852). In addition to the
significant independent variables, the factors anxiety ( 𝛽 = 0.762, 95% CI: 0.643, 0.893), and
posttraumatic stress disorder (𝛽 = 0.254, 95% CI: 0.185, 0.339) had an impact on depression.
Conclusion and recommendation: The magnitude of anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and
depression were found to be high. Older age IDPs, female IDPs, and those who did not supported
by friends or government were found to be most at risk. Emphasis is needed on the promotion of
mental health practices for internally displaced persons due to a conflict, especially for IDPs with
poor social support, who have a history of death of beloved one.
