Injury and Pain Among a War-Affected Population in Mitrovicë District of Kosovo (I): Prevalence and Risk Factors

Background: To develop an evidence-based rehabilitation programme, we investigated injury and pain complaints in relation to collective exposure to violence and human rights violations the population in Mitrovicë district of Kosovo.

Methods: The population-based study consists of two elements: household survey and functional assessment at a mobile clinic (presented in the part II). A cross-sectional two-stage cluster sampling was used. The survey was conducted in September-October 2008. We surveyed 1,115 households with a population of 6,845.

Results: Around 7% of the population had been tortured and 20% had mental or physical pain complaints. Pain complaints increased with age over 35 years old. An association was found between the proportion of family members with pain complaints and a decline in the household income because of the injury of a family member. A family's affiliation with the Kosovo Liberation Army and participation in a protest prior to 1999 were related to being targeted by Serbian paramilitary groups and law enforcement agencies. Pre- and post-trauma patterns of social and political participation of a family member and family financial burden were likely to affect the proportion of family members complaining of pain.

Conclusion: Active participation in political or social movement could be a risk factor of victimisation but it could also determine the personal, social, and behavioural competence to deal constructively with difficult situation at war or the post-war setting. We recommend a community-based rehabilitation programme to focus on promoting social participation and increasing involvement of vulnerable or excluded groups in all community activities.