Components, organisation, costs and outcomes of health care and community based interventions for people with posttraumatic stress following war and conflict in the Balkans

Objective

Large numbers of people in Balkan countries and in refugee groups in member states have been affected by posttraumatic stress due to war and conflict. This project will investigate the components, organisation, utilisation, costs and outcomes of health care and community based interventions for people who were exposed to potentially traumatic events. The research consists of 3 interrelated parts: 1) in 4 Western Balkan countries and 3 member states, a new instrument to register health care and community based interventions for people with posttraumatic stress will be developed and tested; 2) a survey of people who experienced potentially traumatic events in the Balkans will be conducted in each of the 7 participating countries, 640 in each Balkan country and 250 in each member state. We will assess stressful events, utilisation of health care and community based services since the traumatic experience, costs of interventions, current and past levels of posttraumatic stress and other mental health disorders, and quality of life. The data will be used to develop statistical predictor models for the use of interventions and their outcome, i.e. level of posttraumatic stress and quality of life, which will be validated for each country and compared; 3) in the above survey a total of more than 800 people with persistent posttraumatic stress will be identified, interviewed in more detail, and followed-up after one year. Thus, we will investigate factors that influence symptom change in people with chronic symptoms, and estimate the cost-consequences of interventions in this group. Overall, the project will identify the relative contribution of medical care and community based interventions to recovery from posttraumatic stress in different groups and contexts. It will provide empirical evidence to design effective health and social care policies for people with posttraumatic stress, including the particularly challenging group with persistent symptoms.

Fields of science

• social sciences › sociology › demography › human migrations

Programme(s)

• FP6-INCO - Specific measures in support of international cooperation: Specific activities covering wider field of research under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006.

Topic(s)

• INCO-2002-C.2.1 - Post-conflict and post-trauma
• INCO-2002-C.2.2 - Management of health systems related to post-conflict and post-trauma

Call for proposal

FP6-2002-INCO-WBC-1
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

STIP - Specific Targeted Innovation Project

Coordinator

QUEEN MARY AND WESTFIELD COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

Address

Mile End Road
London
United Kingdom

Participants (7)

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET DRESDEN

Germany

Address

Mommsenstrasse 13
Dresden

UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI MODENA E REGGIO EMILIA

Italy

Address

Via Università, 4
Modena

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE

Address

Dr Subotica 8
Belgrade

FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY, UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB

Croatia

Address

Lvana Lucica 3
Zagreb

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE UNIVERSITY OF RIJEKA

Croatia

Address

Brace Branchetta 20
Rijeka

FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY, UNIVERSITY OF "ST. CYRIL AND METHODIUS", SKOPJE

Address

Krste Misirkov Bb
Skopje

KLINICKI CENTAR UNIVERZITETA - PSIHIJATRIJSKA KLINIKA - SARAJEVO

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Address

Bolnicka 25
Sarajevo