Prevalence and risk factors of posttraumatic stress symptoms among Internally Displaced Christian couples in Erbil, Iraq.

Background: Research about the impact of war and displacement experiences on the mental health of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) has recently grown. However, a limited number of studies focus on minorities. The objective of the present preliminary study was to estimate the prevalence of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs) among IDPs who live outside camps and belong to the Christian minority in Iraq, and to identify possible predictors.

Supporting Iraqi Kurdistan Health Authorities in Post-conflict Recovery: The Development of a Health Monitoring System.

Iraq has endured several conflicts and socio-political tensions that have disrupted its public health system. Nowadays, because health data are not collected on a routine basis, the country still lacks proper statistics and, consequently, response plans to meet present and future health needs of its population. An international partnership is developing in the Iraqi Kurdistan a Health Monitoring System with the aim of supporting evidence-based health policy decisions.