Abstract

RUIZ-ESLAVA, Luisa Fernanda. Mental health in the time of war, a reflection about the relationship between the armed conflict and the mental health in the Emberá indigenous people under situation of forced displacement. rev.fac.med. [online]. 2015, vol.63, n.3, pp.389-398. ISSN 0120-0011.  https://doi.org/10.15446/revfacmed.v63n3.49820.

Background. This research aimed to make an approach to the relationship between armed conflict and mental health, considering the Embera people's point of view as a framework of understanding, the subject as a protagonist of relational-collective life and a complex thinking, by embracing elements of social medicine, systemic-constructionist perspectives, critical thinking, and interpretive hermeneutic foundation, nourished with elements of decolonial epistemology. Objective. To understand the nature of the relationship between armed conflict and mental health in the Embera indigenous communities that experience a situation of forced displacement in Bogotá. Materials and methods. A qualitative method was used by implementing several combined techniques. The method is based on complex thinking. Results. Armed conflict is regarded as a mechanism that forces the Embera indigenous population to move to unknown and violent scenarios that altogether affect their Good Being and Good Living, in addition to their living conditions and thus, their quality of life. Conclusions. Currently there are no interventions in "mental health" that are culturally appropriated and consistent with the needs of the Embera indigenous population and that are able to foster structural changes, both positive and significant, in the subject and their community. Now, if the aim is to protect, promote and restore the "mental health" of the Embera people under displacement situation, what is relevant and necessary is to provide self-organization, access to the territory and their empowerment, so they could work and live in community, thus, satisfying their basic needs.

Keywords : Mental Health; War; Indigenous People; Displacement; Social Medicine.

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