Prevalence and Correlates of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder among Victims of Banditry Living in Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract Background: Banditry and armed violence have severe psychological consequences, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and psychosis. PTSD is one of the most common psychological disorders among internally displaced persons (IDPs). Despite the rising incidence of banditry and kidnapping in Sokoto, there are limited studies that focus on the mental health of these victims. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with PTSD among victims of banditry living in IDPs camps in Sokoto. Materials and Methods: A total of 415 participants were recruited using systematic sampling technique and were administered the sociodemographic questionnaire, Oslo Social Support Scale-3, Harvard Trauma Questionnaire-revised and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Using SPSS, the Chi-square test was used to determine association, while binary logistic regression analysis, ( P < 0.05), was used to determine the independent predictors of PTSD. Results: A total of 415 IDPs were studied. The mean age was 36.7 years (standard deviation ± 16.5). Most (79.3%) of them were females. The majority, i.e., 86.3%, had informal education, while 70.1% were unemployed. The prevalence of PTSD was 50.6%. The independent predictors of PTSD were current depresSsion ( P < 0.001), combat situation ( P = 0.007), forced to hide ( P < 0.001), witnessing rape or sexual abuse ( P = 0.033) and murder, due to violence, of spouse ( P = 0.002). Conclusion: Banditry has led to unprecedented levels of internal displacement in Sokoto State, resulting in a high prevalence of PTSD among IDPs. The independent predictors of PTSD were having diagnosis of depression, combat situation, forced to hide, witness rape and murder of spouse.