Citation

Ponsar F, Ford N, Van Herp M, Mancini S, Bachy C. Confl. Health 2009; 3(1): 4.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/1752-1505-3-4

PMID

19317910

PMCID

PMC2667422

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Towards the end of 2006 open conflict broke out between United Nations forces and armed militia in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Fighting was most intense in the district of Cite Soleil. METHODS: A cross-sectional, random-sample survey among the conflict-affected populations living in Cite Soleil and Martissant was carried out over a 4-week period in 2006 using a semi-structured questionnaire to assess exposure to violence and access to health care. Household heads from 945 households (corresponding to 4763 people) in Cite Soleil and 1,800 household (9,539 people) in Martissant provided information on household members. The average recall period was 579 days for Cite Soleil and 601 days for Martissant. RESULTS: In Cite Soleil 120 deaths (21 children) were reported (CMR 0.4 deaths/10,000 people/day; <5MR 0.5 deaths /10,000/day) while in Martissant 165 deaths (8 children) were reported (CMR 0.3/10,000 people/day; <5MR 0.2/10,000 people/day). Violence was reported as the main cause of adult mortality in both locations (mainly gunshot wounds) accounting for 29.2% of deaths in Cite Soleil and 23% of deaths in Martissant. 22.9% of families in Cite Soleil and 18.6% in Martissant reported at least one victim of violence. Destruction of property and belongings was common in both Cite Soleil (52.4% of families) and Martissant (14.9%). Access to health services was limited, with 11% (22/196) of victims of violence in Cite Soleil and 23% (49/212) in Martissant unable to access care due to insecurity or lack of money. DISCUSSION: Extrapolating to the total population of these two districts some 2000 violent deaths occurred over the recall period. Among the survivors, violence had lasting effects in terms of physical and mental health and loss of property and possessions.

Language: en