Objective:

To identify the types of studies conducted on the Colombian armed conflict, their interdisciplinary fields, methods, techniques, as well as the conceptions of armed conflict and rurality used in these studies and their relevance for public health.

Methodology:

In this qualitative and meta-theoretical study, we conducted a narrative review, which involved using a search protocol for selecting papers following inclusion and exclusion criteria. We included articles and research papers subjected to content analysis that were found in institutional repositories and databases.

Results:

Most of the analyzed studies are from university institutional repositories and, in disciplinary terms, from social, human, and political sciences. Thus, the research methods that are used are primarily those coined in these fields, such as the ethnographic and life stories methods, although correlational and experimental methods are also included. Few works use explicit conceptual or theoretical references to armed conflict and rurality. This generates academic, ethical, and political concerns regarding how the realities of these issues are understood and addressed. Of the 101 papers we analyzed, only 7 belong to the field of healthcare, and of these, only 1 belongs to the field of public health. This finding is noteworthy, given the multiple effects that the conflict has had on the health and lives of various groups of the Colombian population.

Conclusion:

The effects of violence, wars, conflicts, and their effects on population health have been the subject of interest of international and national bodies and of some academics in the field of public health. There is a need for a stronger role of public health in addressing the effects of the Colombian conflict on the population.

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