Abstract
Socio-demographic and medical information about internally displaced persons in all parts of the world is lacking. One area
where many of these persons reside is the Democratic Republic of Congo. A cross-sectional survey was used to assess the differences,
if any, between elderly and non-elderly internally displaced parents in Cibombo Cimuangi, a resettlement community in the
Eastern Kasai province. The survey was undertaken in 2005. Adults members from these households provided data on the experience
of disease episodes over a six-month period and demographic information. Elderly internally displaced parents (older than
60 years) and non-elderly displaced parents were compared in number of illnesses (e.g., fever, weight loss) and selected demographic
variables. These groups are similar in terms of experience of disease, but significantly different in terms of level of spouse’s
education and concentration of adult children in the household. Adjusting for these two demographic variables did not change
the experience of illness for either type of parents. We discussed reasons for the absence of differences in disease incidence
between the two groups and several factors that will impact internally displaced persons in Africa in the future.
where many of these persons reside is the Democratic Republic of Congo. A cross-sectional survey was used to assess the differences,
if any, between elderly and non-elderly internally displaced parents in Cibombo Cimuangi, a resettlement community in the
Eastern Kasai province. The survey was undertaken in 2005. Adults members from these households provided data on the experience
of disease episodes over a six-month period and demographic information. Elderly internally displaced parents (older than
60 years) and non-elderly displaced parents were compared in number of illnesses (e.g., fever, weight loss) and selected demographic
variables. These groups are similar in terms of experience of disease, but significantly different in terms of level of spouse’s
education and concentration of adult children in the household. Adjusting for these two demographic variables did not change
the experience of illness for either type of parents. We discussed reasons for the absence of differences in disease incidence
between the two groups and several factors that will impact internally displaced persons in Africa in the future.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-20
- DOI 10.1007/s12062-012-9057-9
- Authors
- Ngoyi K. Z. Bukonda, Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Health Professions, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount Street, Wichita, KS 67260-0043, USA
- Barbara Smith, Department of Physical Therapy, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, USA
- Tumba G. Disashi, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Mbuji Mayi, Mbuji Mayi, Eastern Kasai Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- JaneRose Njue, Family and Child Studies, School of Family Consumer and Nutrition Science, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
- Kyoung Hag Lee, School of Social Work, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, USA
- Journal Journal of Population Ageing
- Online ISSN 1874-7876
- Print ISSN 1874-7884