Post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety during the 2021 Myanmar conflict: a nationwide population-based surveyResearch in context
Summary: Background: The UN warns that Myanmar faces the ‘triple crises’ of mass conflict, uncontrolled COVID-19, and economic collapse. Therefore, we aimed to assess the population mental health burden, healthcare needs, and the associated risk factors in Myanmar. Methods: We established a nationw...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-07-01
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| Series: | The Lancet Regional Health - Southeast Asia |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772368224000465 |
| _version_ | 1797215921355358208 |
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| author | Xiaoyan Fan Ke Ning Tiffany SW. Ma Yadanar Aung Hein Min Tun Phyu Phyu Thin Zaw Francis P. Flores Mathew SC. Chow Candi MC. Leung Phyllis Lun Wing Chung Chang Gabriel M. Leung Michael Y. Ni |
| author_facet | Xiaoyan Fan Ke Ning Tiffany SW. Ma Yadanar Aung Hein Min Tun Phyu Phyu Thin Zaw Francis P. Flores Mathew SC. Chow Candi MC. Leung Phyllis Lun Wing Chung Chang Gabriel M. Leung Michael Y. Ni |
| author_sort | Xiaoyan Fan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: Background: The UN warns that Myanmar faces the ‘triple crises’ of mass conflict, uncontrolled COVID-19, and economic collapse. Therefore, we aimed to assess the population mental health burden, healthcare needs, and the associated risk factors in Myanmar. Methods: We established a nationwide random sample and recruited 1038 adults via random digit dialling from July 3–Aug 9, 2021, during the ongoing conflict since Feb 1, 2021, and surge in SARS-CoV-2 infections. Probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was assessed using the PTSD Checklist—Civilian Version. Probable depression and anxiety were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2. We calculated population attributable fractions for probable mental disorders using multivariable logistic regression models. Based on the mental health burden and healthcare-seeking patterns, we projected the need for mental health services. Findings: During the ‘triple crises’, a third of adults in Myanmar (34.9%, 95% CI 32.0–37.7) reported a probable mental disorder. Prevalence of probable PTSD, depression, and anxiety were 8.1% (6.6–9.7), 14.3% (12.0–16.6), and 22.2% (19.7–24.7), respectively. We estimated that up to 79.9% (43.8–97.9) of probable PTSD was attributable to political stress. This corresponds to 2.1 million (1.1–3.2 million) fewer adults with probable PTSD if political stress was removed from the population. The mental health burden could translate into roughly 5.9 million adults seeking mental health services. Interpretation: The mental health burden in Myanmar is substantial, and population mental health might only be restored when the three crises have ended. An accelerated peace process is critical to protecting Myanmar’s population mental health. Funding: This research was supported the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. HKU 17606122) and the Michele Tansella Award. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T11:37:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d337bfbd0b8d49aba2f89e4d58133540 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2772-3682 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T11:37:45Z |
| publishDate | 2024-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Lancet Regional Health - Southeast Asia |
| spelling | doaj.art-d337bfbd0b8d49aba2f89e4d581335402024-04-10T04:29:37ZengElsevierThe Lancet Regional Health - Southeast Asia2772-36822024-07-0126100396Post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety during the 2021 Myanmar conflict: a nationwide population-based surveyResearch in contextXiaoyan Fan0Ke Ning1Tiffany SW. Ma2Yadanar Aung3Hein Min Tun4Phyu Phyu Thin Zaw5Francis P. Flores6Mathew SC. Chow7Candi MC. Leung8Phyllis Lun9Wing Chung Chang10Gabriel M. Leung11Michael Y. Ni12School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaSchool of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaSchool of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaInstitute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Bangkok, ThailandThe Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Microbiota I-Center (MagIC), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaSchool of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaSchool of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaSchool of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaSchool of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaSchool of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaSchool of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H), Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaSchool of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Urban Systems Institute, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Corresponding author. School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.Summary: Background: The UN warns that Myanmar faces the ‘triple crises’ of mass conflict, uncontrolled COVID-19, and economic collapse. Therefore, we aimed to assess the population mental health burden, healthcare needs, and the associated risk factors in Myanmar. Methods: We established a nationwide random sample and recruited 1038 adults via random digit dialling from July 3–Aug 9, 2021, during the ongoing conflict since Feb 1, 2021, and surge in SARS-CoV-2 infections. Probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was assessed using the PTSD Checklist—Civilian Version. Probable depression and anxiety were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2. We calculated population attributable fractions for probable mental disorders using multivariable logistic regression models. Based on the mental health burden and healthcare-seeking patterns, we projected the need for mental health services. Findings: During the ‘triple crises’, a third of adults in Myanmar (34.9%, 95% CI 32.0–37.7) reported a probable mental disorder. Prevalence of probable PTSD, depression, and anxiety were 8.1% (6.6–9.7), 14.3% (12.0–16.6), and 22.2% (19.7–24.7), respectively. We estimated that up to 79.9% (43.8–97.9) of probable PTSD was attributable to political stress. This corresponds to 2.1 million (1.1–3.2 million) fewer adults with probable PTSD if political stress was removed from the population. The mental health burden could translate into roughly 5.9 million adults seeking mental health services. Interpretation: The mental health burden in Myanmar is substantial, and population mental health might only be restored when the three crises have ended. An accelerated peace process is critical to protecting Myanmar’s population mental health. Funding: This research was supported the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. HKU 17606122) and the Michele Tansella Award.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772368224000465COVID-19ConflictEconomic crisisMyanmarPopulation mental healthPost-traumatic stress disorder |
| spellingShingle | Xiaoyan Fan Ke Ning Tiffany SW. Ma Yadanar Aung Hein Min Tun Phyu Phyu Thin Zaw Francis P. Flores Mathew SC. Chow Candi MC. Leung Phyllis Lun Wing Chung Chang Gabriel M. Leung Michael Y. Ni Post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety during the 2021 Myanmar conflict: a nationwide population-based surveyResearch in context The Lancet Regional Health - Southeast Asia COVID-19 Conflict Economic crisis Myanmar Population mental health Post-traumatic stress disorder |
| title | Post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety during the 2021 Myanmar conflict: a nationwide population-based surveyResearch in context |
| title_full | Post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety during the 2021 Myanmar conflict: a nationwide population-based surveyResearch in context |
| title_fullStr | Post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety during the 2021 Myanmar conflict: a nationwide population-based surveyResearch in context |
| title_full_unstemmed | Post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety during the 2021 Myanmar conflict: a nationwide population-based surveyResearch in context |
| title_short | Post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety during the 2021 Myanmar conflict: a nationwide population-based surveyResearch in context |
| title_sort | post traumatic stress depression and anxiety during the 2021 myanmar conflict a nationwide population based surveyresearch in context |
| topic | COVID-19 Conflict Economic crisis Myanmar Population mental health Post-traumatic stress disorder |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772368224000465 |
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