Long-Term Outcomes of War-Related Death of Family Members in Kosovar Civilian War Survivors

Author: Morina Nexhmedin   Reschke Konrad   Hofmann Stefan  

Publisher: Routledge Ltd

ISSN: 1091-7683

Source: Death Studies, Vol.35, Iss.4, 2011-04, pp. : 365-372

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Abstract

Exposure to war-related experiences can comprise a broad variety of experiences and the very nature of certain war-related events has generally been neglected. To examine the long-term outcomes of war-related death of family members, the authors investigated the prevalence rates of major depressive episode (MDE), anxiety disorders, and quality of life among civilian war survivors with or without war-related death of first-degree family members 9 years after the war in Kosovo. Compared to participants without war-related death of family members, those who had experienced such loss had significantly higher prevalence rates of MDE, posttraumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, and reported a lower quality of life 9 years after the war. These results indicate that bereaved civilian survivors of war experience significant mental health problems many years after the war.

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