Arbeitsbereich

Bevölkerungsdynamik und Nachhaltiges Wohlbefinden

Auf einen Blick Projekte Publikationen Team

Projekt

Estimating the Health Effects of Violence and Armed Conflict over the Life Course

Yvette Marie Young

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Armed conflict and organized violence not only disrupt population structures, causing excess mortality and sudden migration flows, but also negatively impact population health. Though research on these effects mainly focuses on short-term population health needs and the restoration of health systems, many health consequences persist well into older age, impacting late-life well-being, longevity, and healthy aging. The health consequences of exposure to war and violent conflict extend far beyond the injuries and diseases sustained in wartime. Wartime stress is linked to cardiovascular disease, poor cognitive health at older ages, and persistent psychological distress. While the body of research documenting the life course effects of wartime stress is growing, it remains insufficient to identify modifiable health risks stemming from war. Current research identifies only few modifiable health risks in the context of armed conflicts. An improved understanding of which health risks and conditions are modifiable, and of the appropriate interventions for improving health, is needed.

With this project, we address the gap in research connecting specific types of wartime adversity and long-term health. We focus on both the associations and the mechanisms through which war experiences impact health.

This project aims to: (i) evaluate the extent to which experiences of armed conflict shape long-term health, (ii) explore the mechanisms through which armed conflict impacts health, and (iii) identify factors that exacerbate or diminish the effects of conflict experiences on long-term health. We achieve these aims by linking survey data with georeferenced measures of war exposure drawn from individual reports; government aggregates of events, injuries, and mortality; and digital trace data from global news media.

One study in this project uses representative survey data in conjunction with archival Vietnam War data on aerial bombing missions to explore the association between late-life post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and early-life exposure to wartime adversities (Zimmer, et al., 2024). The study compares the impact of self-reported experiences of adversity with that of administrative records of bombings, finding a strong relationship with both measures and PTSD.

Another study in this project uses the migration histories of older adults residing in northern Vietnam along with georeferenced data documenting Agent Orange spray missions to estimate direct and indirect exposure to the herbicide, and to test associations with cancer.

Other ongoing studies examine late-life cognitive health, disability, and disease among individuals who experienced war or violent conflict in a variety of country contexts. These studies build on previous research by investigating critical mechanisms linking war exposure to health. For example, one study explores mental health as a critical mediator between war exposure and early cognitive decline. Another study contributes to theories explaining how and why war exposure affects mental health by exploring the relative impact of serial wars (i.e., distinct wars that occur one after the other with minimal or no episodes of peace).

Schlagworte:

Gesundheitsversorgung, Public Health, Medizin und Epidemiologie, interne Migration, Wohnsituation, Urbanisierung, Lebensverlauf

Schlagworte (Region):

Vietnam, Welt

Links:

https://vhas.utah.edu/documentation.php