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Exploring Psychosocial Well-being and Social Connectedness in Northern Uganda

ADOLESCENTS ANXIETY ARMED CONFLICT BULLETIN CAPACITY BUILDING CHILD PSYCHOLOGY CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY COMMUNITIES COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES CRISIS SUPPORT CULTURAL VALUES DEPRESSION DEPRESSIVE DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS DESCRIPTION DISTRICTS DOCTORS ECONOMIC RESOURCES EMERGENCIES EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT EMOTIONS ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES EPIDEMIOLOGY ETHNIC GROUPS FAMILIES FAMILY MEMBERS FAMILY SUPPORT FEMALE GENDER GENDER RELATIONS GERONTOLOGY HEALTH INTERVENTIONS HEALTH OUTCOMES HEALTH PROBLEMS HIV HOMELESS PEOPLE HUMAN CAPACITY HUTS ILLNESS ILLNESSES IMMIGRATION INFORMED CONSENT INJURY INTERVENTION JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY KINSHIP KNOWLEDGE BASE LIFE EVENTS LIVING CONDITIONS LOCAL COMMUNITY LOCAL INPUT MAJOR DEPRESSION MEDICINE MENTAL MENTAL DISEASE MENTAL DISTRESS MENTAL HEALTH MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTIONS MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS MENTAL PROBLEMS MIGRATION MOOD MOTHERS NATIONAL LEVELS PATIENT PATIENT EDUCATION PEER GROUPS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES PHYSICAL HEALTH PHYSICAL HEALTH OUTCOMES PHYSICAL HEALTH PROBLEMS POST-CONFLICT SETTINGS PRACTITIONERS PRIMARY CARE PROGRESS PSYCHIATRIC EPIDEMIOLOGY PSYCHIATRISTS PSYCHIATRY PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS PSYCHOLOGISTS PSYCHOLOGY PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTION PSYCHOSOCIAL WORK PUBLIC HEALTH QUALITATIVE INFORMATION QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH REFUGEE REFUGEES RELIGIOUS LEADERS RESEARCH PROGRAM RESPECT SCREENING SELF-ESTEEM SETTLEMENT SHELTER SOCIAL COHESION SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS SOCIAL ISOLATION SOCIAL NETWORKS SOCIAL PSYCHIATRY SOCIAL SCIENCE SOCIAL SCIENCES SOCIAL STRUCTURES SOCIAL SUPPORT SUICIDE TRAUMA TRAUMATIC EVENTS VICTIMS VILLAGES VIOLENCE WAR WOMAN YOUTH
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World Bank, Washington, DC
Africa | Uganda
2014-04-16T19:01:19Z | 2014-04-16T19:01:19Z | 2013-04

This paper describes research conducted as the first stage in the process of developing a structured interview schedule to assess psychological distress, empowerment, social connectedness, economic well-being, and other variables among women in the Acholi region of Uganda. An interview schedule was developed following a review of the literature, individual interviews with women in northern Uganda, and group discussions with community members, members of women's groups, and community leaders. Following initial testing of the entire interview schedule, the reliability and validity of two sections-measures of psychological distress and social connectedness, were explored in more detail. Initial analysis suggests that both are potentially useful with this population. However, the measure of psychological distress did not distinguish clearly between a group of women identified by a local community-based organization (CBO) as showing signs of psychological distress and a group of women showing no such signs. Additional work is required to confirm the validity of the psychological distress scale used. It was found that psychological well-being was more closely associated with the amount of social support a woman receives than with how many social activities or groups she is involved with. Involvement in groups may not, in itself, alleviate psychological distress, but the practical and emotional support provided by friends, neighbors, and relatives is likely to have a positive effect. Some evidence was found that there is a relationship between involvement in religious activities and psychological well-being. Psychological distress is often accompanied by poor physical health. Although further research is required to clarify the nature of these relationships, initial findings suggest that organizations that aim to improve psychological well-being would do well to address physical health problems as a priority, and may wish to explore ways in which women experiencing psychological distress could link with religious organizations.

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