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The mental health of Palestinians have been described as among the worst in the world

The mental health of Palestinians has been described as among the worst in the world, [1] with over half of Palestinian adults meeting the diagnostic threshold for depression [2] and a significant portion of Palestinian children experiencing mental distress, particularly in Gaza. [3] This high prevalence of mental distress among the Palestinian population has been attributed to the intersection of a number of factors, including exposure to conflict, poor living conditions and restrictions on movement. [4]

Demographics

2022 Palestinians' Psychological Conditions Survey (PPCS)

In 2022, a study was conducted by the World Bank Group, in collaboration with the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, International Security and Development Center, and Zentrum Überleben, which aimed to understand the intersection of various factors which contribute to poor mental health among Palestinians. [4] This has been described as the first nationally representative survey on this topic. [4] The study was conducted on a representative sample of 5,876 Palestinian adults from Gaza and the West Bank, who were assessed using a number of questionnaires. [5]

Depression

58% of the participants met the diagnostic threshold for depression. [6] Among participants from the Gaza, 71% met the criteria for depression, while the prevalence was 50% for participants from the West Bank. [6] The severity of depression symptoms did not differ significantly between men and women. [7] The prevalence of depression was strongly associated with perceived poverty. [7]

Post-traumatic stress disorder

7% of the participants met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD, with little difference in prevalence reported between participants from Gaza and the West Bank. [8] While this figure is lower than the prevalence obtained by previous studies, this has been attributed to previous studies conducting research in the immediate aftermath of a crisis.

2022 Save the Children report

In 2022, Save the Children released a report titled "Trapped", which involved interviewing 488 children and 160 parents and caregivers to assess the impact which the blockade of the Gaza Strip has had on the children's mental health. [3] 80% of the children reported experiencing emotional distress, 59% reported engaging in self-harm and 55% reported experiencing suicidal ideation. [3]

2023 Israel–Hamas war

This section is an excerpt from Gaza humanitarian crisis (2023–present) § Psychological health.
Weeks of continuous air strikes and explosions have contributed to the psychological destruction of children in Gaza. Following 16 days of bombardment, children developed severe trauma, with symptoms including convulsion, aggression, bed-wetting, and nervousness. 90% of children in pediatric hospitals in Gaza exhibited or reported symptoms of anxiety, the majority exhibited post-traumatic stress symptoms, and 82% reported fears of imminent death. [9] On 6 November, UNICEF spokesman Toby Fricker warned of the psychological impacts and "massive stress" experienced by children in Gaza. [10] On 17 November, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated 20,000 people were in need of specialized mental health services. [11] On 9 January 2024, OCHA reported 485,000 people with mental health issues were experiencing care disruption. [12] In March 2024, a U.S. doctor stated it appeared the Israeli military "purposely bomb by night for the psychological effect on people". [13]

Mental health services

Building Palestinian Resilience project

In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO), along with the Palestinian Ministry of Health, initiated the Building Palestinian Resilience project, which involved integrating mental health into primary and secondary care, and strengthening coordination and mental health emergency preparedness. [14] The project was funded by the European Union (EU). Almost 1,600 people were trained on the full range of mental health and psychosocial support services. [14] The project came to an end in 2019. [14]

References

  1. ^ Hoyle, Charlie (12 May 2017). "Mental health in Palestine among world's worst". The New Arab.
  2. ^ "Mental Health in the West Bank and Gaza" (PDF). World Bank. 22 November 2022. p. 7.
  3. ^ a b c "Trapped: The impact of 15 years of blockade on the mental health of Gaza's children". Save the Children. 15 June 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Aghajanian, Alia; Finn, Arden; Mohammad, Nadir (14 June 2023). "The intersection of economic conditions, trauma and mental health in the West Bank and Gaza". World Bank Blogs.
  5. ^ "Mental Health in the West Bank and Gaza" (PDF). World Bank. 22 November 2022. p. 1.
  6. ^ a b "Mental Health in the West Bank and Gaza" (PDF). World Bank. 22 November 2022. p. 28.
  7. ^ a b "Mental Health in the West Bank and Gaza" (PDF). World Bank. 22 November 2022. p. 8.
  8. ^ "Mental Health in the West Bank and Gaza" (PDF). World Bank. 22 November 2022. p. 29.
  9. ^ "Children in Gaza 'developing severe trauma' after 16 days of bombing". The Guardian. 15 October 2023. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  10. ^ "'Massive stress' on Gaza children struggling to cope with attacks". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  11. ^ "WHO Director-General's remarks at the Informal Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly – 17 November 2023". World Health Organization. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  12. ^ "Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel Flash Update #88". ReliefWeb. UNOCHA. 10 January 2024. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Israelis 'purposely bomb by night for psychological effect': Doctor". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  14. ^ a b c "The closing ceremony of the mental health project in the occupied Palestinian territory". World Health Organization - Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
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