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The Psychological Burden of the 2023 Sudanese Conflict: PTSD Prevalence and Coping Mechanisms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 June 2025

Walaa E. A. Abdallah ,
Weam M. M. Ahmed ,
Mujtaba Mohamed ,
Abdulhadi M. A. Mahgoub  and
Danya Ibrahim
Walaa E. A. Abdallah
Affiliation:
1Faculty of Medicine, International University of Africa, Khartoum, Sudan
Weam M. M. Ahmed
Affiliation:
2Khartoum University, Faculty of Medicine, Khartoum, Sudan
Mujtaba Mohamed
Affiliation:
2Khartoum University, Faculty of Medicine, Khartoum, Sudan
Abdulhadi M. A. Mahgoub
Affiliation:
3Faculty of Medicine, University of Gezira, Madani, Sudan
Danya Ibrahim
Affiliation:
2Khartoum University, Faculty of Medicine, Khartoum, Sudan
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Abstract

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Aims: This study aimed to identify the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to assess coping strategies among Sudanese individuals. Also, to evaluate the relationship between PTSD and coping mechanisms with sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods: This study utilized a cross-sectional design to assess PTSD and coping strategies in 716 Sudanese adults affected by war, selected through convenience sampling. Participants completed a Google Form questionnaire that included sociodemographic data, the PTSD Checklist for DSM–5 (PCL-5), and a coping scale. The analysis was conducted using SPSS software version 26, applying various statistical tests to evaluate relationships and differences.

Results: The findings revealed that nearly 43% of the sample met the criteria for a potential diagnosis of PTSD. About 69% of participants were female, with a median age of 23 years. Most participants were single (81%) and had been externally displaced (51%). Coping strategies varied among the participants: 34% focused on improving their habits, while others used reflective approaches (36%), sought positive perspectives (30%), employed humour (21%), or chose to wait for problems to resolve on their own (17%). Family income was significantly associated with PTSD symptoms (p=0.020). Participants with higher PTSD symptoms exhibited lower coping effectiveness, and both age and marital status significantly influenced coping mechanisms (p=0.027 and 0.037, respectively). Those who had been living in conflict zones for over six months reported the highest coping scores.

Conclusion: Our findings confirmed a high level of PTSD symptoms among the participants. Duration of residency in the conflict zone impacted the coping adopted and income played a crucial role in developing PTSD. This study underscores the need for urgent specific psychological support for individuals affected by the conflict. Further research is required to foster mental well-being, and put more attention to this issue.

Type
Research
Information
BJPsych Open , Volume 11 , Supplement S1: Abstracts from the RCPsych International Congress 2025, 23–26 June , June 2025 , pp. S43
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Royal College of Psychiatrists

Footnotes

Abstracts were reviewed by the RCPsych Academic Faculty rather than by the standard BJPsych Open peer review process and should not be quoted as peer-reviewed by BJPsych Open in any subsequent publication.

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