Open AccessExposure to Armed Conflict in Childhood vs Older Ages and Subsequent Onset of Major Depressive Disorder
Author(s) -
Corina Benjet,
William G. Axinn,
Sabrina Hermosilla,
Paul Schulz,
Faith Cole,
Laura Sampson,
Dirgha J. Ghimire
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
jama network open
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.278
H-Index - 39
ISSN - 2574-3805
DOI - 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.19848
Subject(s) - demography , major depressive disorder , georeference , mental health , depression (economics) , cohort , armed conflict , cohort study , poison control , population , medicine , injury prevention , psychiatry , gerontology , psychology , geography , environmental health , sociology , cognition , pathology , physical geography , political science , law , economics , macroeconomics
Key Points Question Is neighborhood-level violence associated with incidence of major depressive disorder (MDD) during and after armed conflict? Findings In a cohort study including 10 623 participants within 151 neighborhoods in Nepal, the occurrence of 2 or more beatings within 1 km was associated with incidence of MDD in those who were children at the start of the armed conflict (MDD incidence, 12.69% vs 5.08% in a matched unexposed sample), but not for older individuals. Meaning Because the youngest children may be the most at risk during times of violence, with mental health consequences lasting long after conflict has subsided, they should be prioritized for population-level interventions.
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