Work

Displacement and Mental Health Problems in Children and Adolescents of a Colombian Indigenous Population

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Objectives To explore the relationship between forced displacement and variables associated with mental health in an indigenous Colombian pediatric population. Methods A mixed methods design was applied with 69 children aged six to 16 years belonging to 45 families of the Embera Dobidá People: 25 displaced families and 20 non-displaced families. The qualitative phase involved focus groups, while the quantitative phase used a cross-sectional correlational design. Results Quantitative findings revealed statistically significant correlations (p < 0.001) between displacement and multiple mental health indicators, particularly emotional and behavioral problems. Food insecurity showed a moderate but meaningful effect, highlighting the impact of nutritional vulnerability on the emotional wellbeing of displaced children and adolescents. In the qualitative phase distinct themes emerged in each community: A territory that cannot be returned to, in Caldas, and The angry and dying territory , in Chocó. Conclusion For Indigenous communities in Colombia, mental health is closely tied nutritional sufficiency and a meaningful relationship with ancestral territory. These elements are disrupted by forced displacement, contributing to elevated suicidal risk and emotional distress among children and adolescents.

Source: International Journal of Public Health

DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2025.1607782

Authors: Felipe Agudelo-Hernández, Laura Inés Plata-Casas, Eduardo Marulanda-López

Institutions: Universidad de Manizales, Ministry of Health and Social Protection

Language: English

Topic: Migration, Health and Trauma

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,775