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Cited by 1Migration, Health and TraumaHealth and Conflict StudiesPosttraumatic Stress Disorder Research

Impact of Displacement on Mental Health Among Elderly War Victims in Syam

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Nurzahara Sihombing, M. Agung Rahmadi, Helsa Nasution, Luthfiah Mawar·2025·Jurnal Riset Ilmu Kesehatan Umum dan Farmasi (JRIKUF)
DOI 10.57213/jrikuf.v3i2.605
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Abstract

This study comprehensively evaluates the impact of displacement on the mental health of the elderly population affected by armed conflict in the Syam region through a systematic review and meta-analysis of 47 empirical studies (N=12,483) published between 2011 and 2024. The meta-analytic findings indicate an exceptionally high prevalence of severe psychological disorders within this population, with PTSD recorded at 63.8% (95% CI [59.2–68.4]), major depression at 58.2% (95% CI [54.1–62.3]), and generalized anxiety disorder at 52.4% (95% CI [48.3–56.5]). Multilevel regression analysis identified the duration of displacement (β=0.42, p<.001) and the loss of family support (β=0.38, p<.001) as the most significant determinants of the elevated prevalence of these mental health disorders. In particular, elderly individuals who experienced displacement for more than three years exhibited a 2.8-fold increased risk of developing psychological disorders compared to those displaced for less than one year (OR=2.83, 95% CI [2.41–3.25]). Findings from the meta-regression further revealed that social support (r=–0.45, p<.001) and adequate access to mental health services (r=–0.38, p<.001) served as significant protective factors. Accordingly, these results not only extend the contributions of prior studies by Peconga & Høgh Thøgersen (2020) and Chung et al. (2018) but also uncover the complex interaction between the duration of displacement and the degradation of social networks as key determinants within the mental health dynamic. Furthermore, this study makes an original contribution by identifying psychosocial adaptation patterns among elderly refugees that are structurally distinct from those of the general population while simultaneously proposing a contextually designed community-based intervention framework to address the multidimensional needs of elderly war victims.

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  • Aging in contexts of conflict, displacement, economic instability, and environmental change appears to have received limited attention in the identified literature.

    “Furthermore, aging in contexts of conflict, displacement, economic instability, and environmental change appears to have received limited attention in the identified literature, despite these being the specific social challenges the country has been facing for years [111,112].”

    From Toward Holistic Aging in Lebanon: A Mapping of Gerontology and Geriatrics Research Trends, Gaps, and Future Directions (2026) · cites this paper as [112]

    The Introduction (page not specified) says that research on displacement-related mental health among Syrian refugees has given severely limited attention to older people, supporting the conflict and displacement portion of the claim. It does not establish a comparable literature gap for aging amid economic instability or environmental change. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Sihombing, N., Rahmadi, M. A., Nasution, H., & Mawar, L.
Affiliations
  • Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta (ID)
  • Universitas Negeri Padang (ID)
  • Universitas Sumatera Utara (ID)
ORCID
Helsa Nasution
Venue
Jurnal Riset Ilmu Kesehatan Umum dan Farmasi (JRIKUF)
Publisher
Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan Kesetiakawanan Sosial Indonesia
Published
2025-04-16
Volume
3
Issue
2
Pages
93-110
ISSN
  • 3026-5800 (ISSN-L)
  • 3026-5819
DOI
10.57213/jrikuf.v3i2.605
OpenAlex
W7086867486
Cited by
0
References
0
FWCI
0.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
Jurnal Riset Ilmu Kesehatan Umum dan Farmasi (publishedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health and Conflict Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
Keywords
forced displacement, mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, armed conflict, social support, access to mental health care, psychosocial adjustment, community-based intervention

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