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Original Article
Online Published: 02 Sep 2025
 

doi: 10.5455/NJP.234041


Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychiatric Morbidity Among Internally Displaced Persons in Katsina State, Northwestern Nigeria

Abdullahi A. Yakubu, Bashir A. Yakasai, Tajudeen Abiola, Audu I. Aveka, Udofia Owoidoho, Jidda M. Said, Amosu Sunday, Muhammad Aliyu, Surajudeen Abdulkadir, Hassan B. Salihu, Muhammad G. Ibrahim, Summayyah M. Bashar.


Abstract
Background: Violence in Northwest Nigeria has forced millions to flee their homes, with many getting killed or wounded, leading to a surge in mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). By March 2023, Katsina State, one of the worst-hit areas, had a displaced population of about 1.5 million. Studies have linked displacement to increased mental health problems, emphasising the need for support in affected communities.

Objective: To determine the prevalence, correlates, and predictors of psychiatric morbidity and HRQoL among IDPs in Katsina State, Northwestern Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional, two-stage study was conducted among 450 randomly selected adult IDPs between March and May 2023. Stage one involved sociodemographic profiling, GHQ-12 screening, and WHOQOL-BREF administration. All GHQ-positive participants and 10% of GHQ-negatives underwent stage-two diagnostic interviews (MINI 7.0.2) for depression, generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), and PTSD—the Horvitz–Thompson estimator adjusted prevalence for verification bias. Associations were explored using chi-square and t-tests; independent predictors were identified via multivariable logistic regression.

Results: Mean age was 38.8 ± 13.9 years; 57.8% were female. GHQ-12 identified 80.0% probable psychiatric cases, with MINI-confirmed diagnoses in 77.8% of screen-positives. Weighted psychiatric morbidity prevalence was 65.7%.
The individual psychiatric morbidity prevalences were: depression (4.2%), GAD with comorbid depression (41.7%), and PTSD (31.9%). Over 85% reported poor HRQoL across all domains. Independent predictors of psychiatric morbidity included younger age (<46 years: AOR = 5.76; 95% CI: 1.55–21.34; p = 0.009), low income (<₦10,000: AOR = 4.28; 95% CI: 1.41–13.02; p = 0.010), sustaining injury (AOR = 2.86; 95% CI: 1.11–7.40; p = 0.030), witnessing killing (AOR = 8.87; 95% CI: 3.41–23.06; p < 0.001), and loss of a family member (AOR = 32.30; 95% CI: 8.85–117.95; p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Psychiatric morbidity and poor HRQoL are highly prevalent among IDPs in Katsina. Trauma-related events are strong predictors, underscoring the urgent need for targeted, trauma-informed mental health interventions integrated into humanitarian responses.

Key words: Depression; Anxiety Disorders; Quality of Life; Internally Displaced Persons; Psychiatric Disorders; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic


 
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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Yakubu AA, Yakasai BA, Abiola T, Aveka AI, Owoidoho U, Said JM, Sunday A, Aliyu M, Abdulkadir S, Salihu HB, Ibrahim MG, Bashar SM. Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychiatric Morbidity Among Internally Displaced Persons in Katsina State, Northwestern Nigeria. NJP. 2025; 23(1): 42-55.

doi:10.5455/NJP.234041

Web Style

Yakubu AA, Yakasai BA, Abiola T, Aveka AI, Owoidoho U, Said JM, Sunday A, Aliyu M, Abdulkadir S, Salihu HB, Ibrahim MG, Bashar SM. Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychiatric Morbidity Among Internally Displaced Persons in Katsina State, Northwestern Nigeria. https://nigerianjournalofpsychiatry.com/?mno=234041 [Access: June 27, 2026].

doi:10.5455/NJP.234041

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Yakubu AA, Yakasai BA, Abiola T, Aveka AI, Owoidoho U, Said JM, Sunday A, Aliyu M, Abdulkadir S, Salihu HB, Ibrahim MG, Bashar SM. Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychiatric Morbidity Among Internally Displaced Persons in Katsina State, Northwestern Nigeria. NJP. 2025; 23(1): 42-55.


doi:10.5455/NJP.234041

Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Yakubu AA, Yakasai BA, Abiola T, Aveka AI, Owoidoho U, Said JM, Sunday A, Aliyu M, Abdulkadir S, Salihu HB, Ibrahim MG, Bashar SM. Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychiatric Morbidity Among Internally Displaced Persons in Katsina State, Northwestern Nigeria. NJP. (2025), [cited June 27, 2026]; 23(1): 42-55.


doi:10.5455/NJP.234041

Harvard Style

Yakubu, A. A., Yakasai, . B. A., Abiola, . T., Aveka, . A. I., Owoidoho, . U., Said, . J. M., Sunday, . A., Aliyu, . M., Abdulkadir, . S., Salihu, . H. B., Ibrahim, . M. G. & Bashar, . S. M. (2025) Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychiatric Morbidity Among Internally Displaced Persons in Katsina State, Northwestern Nigeria. NJP, 23 (1), 42-55.


doi:10.5455/NJP.234041

Turabian Style

Yakubu, Abdullahi A., Bashir A. Yakasai, Tajudeen Abiola, Audu I. Aveka, Udofia Owoidoho, Jidda M. Said, Amosu Sunday, Muhammad Aliyu, Surajudeen Abdulkadir, Hassan B. Salihu, Muhammad G. Ibrahim, and Summayyah M. Bashar. 2025. Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychiatric Morbidity Among Internally Displaced Persons in Katsina State, Northwestern Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Psychiatry, 23 (1), 42-55.


doi:10.5455/NJP.234041

Chicago Style

Yakubu, Abdullahi A., Bashir A. Yakasai, Tajudeen Abiola, Audu I. Aveka, Udofia Owoidoho, Jidda M. Said, Amosu Sunday, Muhammad Aliyu, Surajudeen Abdulkadir, Hassan B. Salihu, Muhammad G. Ibrahim, and Summayyah M. Bashar. "Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychiatric Morbidity Among Internally Displaced Persons in Katsina State, Northwestern Nigeria." Nigerian Journal of Psychiatry 23 (2025), 42-55.


doi:10.5455/NJP.234041

MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Yakubu, Abdullahi A., Bashir A. Yakasai, Tajudeen Abiola, Audu I. Aveka, Udofia Owoidoho, Jidda M. Said, Amosu Sunday, Muhammad Aliyu, Surajudeen Abdulkadir, Hassan B. Salihu, Muhammad G. Ibrahim, and Summayyah M. Bashar. "Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychiatric Morbidity Among Internally Displaced Persons in Katsina State, Northwestern Nigeria." Nigerian Journal of Psychiatry 23.1 (2025), 42-55. Print.


doi:10.5455/NJP.234041

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Yakubu, A. A., Yakasai, . B. A., Abiola, . T., Aveka, . A. I., Owoidoho, . U., Said, . J. M., Sunday, . A., Aliyu, . M., Abdulkadir, . S., Salihu, . H. B., Ibrahim, . M. G. & Bashar, . S. M. (2025) Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychiatric Morbidity Among Internally Displaced Persons in Katsina State, Northwestern Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Psychiatry, 23 (1), 42-55.


doi:10.5455/NJP.234041

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