Armed conflict and the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among university students in Kabul, Afghanistan

Abstract

Background: Recent research has revealed concerns about prevalence of Post-Traumatic Disorder (PTSD) among university students in conflict zones. Afghanistan is dealing with conflict and terrorism since decades and mental health disorders especially PTSD is prevalent among its population. The present study was designed to determine the prevalence of PTSD and its association with exposure to conflict traumatic events among a sample of university students in Kabul, Afghanistan. Methods: A cross-sectional design with systematic random sampling was used to collect data from a sample of 388 students in three major governmental universities in the capital city. Using an adapted version of Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), exposure to traumatic events and symptoms of PTSD were assessed. Chi-square tests and bivariate regressions were performed to show the associations and impact of independent variables on dependent variable. Results: The prevalence of PTSD was reported among 278 (71.6%) subjects of the sample. PTSD cases were higher among male gender. 10 out of 16 war-traumatic events were significantly associated with PTSD. Age showed to be correlated with PTSD but no association between PTSD and other demographic features were observed. Conclusion: Most of the participants were exposed to conflict traumatic events during their lifetime. Our findings indicate on an alarming rate of PTSD, pointing at the burden of this disorder among young generation. Effective public health services and psychological interventions are needed to combine medical, social and psychological approaches in order to address the problem.