Exploring the Relationship Between Experiences of Violence and Subjective Wellbeing: A Cross-Sectional Survey Among School Teachers in Nyarugusu Refugee Camp in Tanzania

Experiences of violence have been reported to be associated with lower levels of subjective wellbeing (SWB). However, little is known about this association in conflict settings and among forcibly displaced populations. In this study we exploit data from a representative sample of refugee teachers from Nyarugusu Refugee Camp collected as part of a larger study, to examine the association between demographic characteristics and SWB, and between experiences of violence and SWB. Three cross-sectional surveys of primary and secondary school teachers were conducted, collecting data on lifetime experience of violence (physical and sexual) and SWB (measured by life satisfaction and current happiness, on 1-5 Likert scales). Linear mixed models were used to estimate the associations between violence and SWB accounting for teacher and school clustering, unadjusted and adjusted for main factors associated with SWB. The 3 surveys included 1,666 responses completed by 885 teachers. Country of origin and number of meals consumed per day were strongly associated with SWB. Individuals who experienced physical violence reported on average, 0.13 lower life satisfaction scores (95% CI [-0.23, -0.02], <i>p</i> = .016) compared to those who did not experience physical violence, while survivors of sexual violence reported on average, 0.24 lower happiness scores ([-0.43, -0.05], <i>p</i> = .014) compared to those who did not experience sexual violence, after adjusting for confounders and clustering. We found an important negative association between past experience of violence and SWB in a refugee camp setting. These findings contribute to the evidence that violent experiences are likely to have a long-lasting impact on people's wellbeing. There is a need for improved mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings.