Quality of Life and Health in Displaced Communities Affected by the Armed Conflict in Colombia

Abstract

This chapter examines the factors that affect the quality of life (QoL) of displaced people in Colombia. First, previous studies on the factors that affect QoL of displaced persons including, inter alia, individual factors, traumatic events, situations of escape, and the adaptation of the refugee to host communities and new places of residence are reviewed. Second, the results of three studies carried out in the Atlantic Department (Northern Colombia) are summarized, with quantitative and qualitative data on the process of restoration and adaptation of displaced communities. The first study analyzes the impact of political violence on mental health and social networks on 49 displaced and 50 not displaced young people living in Barranquilla (Palacio and Sabatier in Impacto psicológico de la violencia política en las familias: Salud mental y redes sociales en los desplazados. Ediciones Uninorte, Barranquilla, 2002). The second study explores the social identity construction of families displaced by collective violence that participated in a project of self-construction of housing for food in urban area of Cartagena (Revivir de los Campanos). In this project, which promoted social integration, 100 displaced families worked together to build their own homes. These families were supported both by different governmental institutions and nongovernmental organizations (Correa et al. in Desplazamiento interno forzado, restablecimiento urbano e identidad social. Ediciones Uninorte, Barranquilla, 2009). The third study analyzes the relationship between social networks and QoL of 19 individuals displaced by violence (Palacio and Madariaga in Investigación y Desarrollo 14(1): 86--119, 2006) that live in a suburb of Barranquilla (Pinar del Río). In the conclusion section two main issues are discussed: the dilemma for the restoration and reconstruction of a new life plan (between returning to the place of origin or resettling in a host community), and the need to integrate displaced persons and demobilized armed, with host communities.