Prevalence and associated factors of psychological distress among internally displaced people in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia

Internally displaced individuals often face significant psychological distress, which manifests as an emotional disturbance that includes symptoms of depression and anxiety, sometimes accompanied by physical symptoms. To date, there is a lack of published research on the prevalence and contributing factors of psychological distress among internally displaced persons in Africa, including Ethiopia, and recent international data is limited. This study aims to address this research gap. This study seeks to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of psychological distress among internally displaced persons in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia, for the years 2023/24. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 422 participants selected through systematic random sampling. A lottery method was employed to choose 6 out of 19 sites. Psychological distress was assessed using a self-reporting questionnaire, and data were analyzed using SPSS version 27. Bivariate binary logistic regression was performed, with variables having a p-value < 0.25 included in a multivariate logistic regression analysis. Statistical significance was determined at a 95% confidence interval (CI) and a p-value of < 0.05. A total of 422 individuals were interviewed, achieving a response rate of 100%. The estimated prevalence of psychological distress was 70.9% (95% CI 66.6 to 74.9). Factors significantly associated with psychological distress included age (41–50 years, AOR = 2.15; 95% CI 1.04, 4.49; ≥ 50 years, AOR = 2.77; 95% CI 1.08, 7.13), being female (AOR = 2.78; 95% CI 1.52, 5.09), exposure to three or more traumatic events (AOR = 3.19; 95% CI 1.58, 6.46), poor social support (AOR = 2.52; 95% CI 1.23, 5.18), and chronic medical illness (AOR = 2.55; 95% CI 1.22, 5.33). The study found a high prevalence of psychological distress at 70.9%. Factors such as age, gender, number of traumatic events, poor social support, and chronic illness were significantly linked to psychological distress. Enhancing mental health services and social support systems is crucial for reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with mental health disorders in this population.