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Social Determinants of Mental Health

Edited by:
Professor Daniela Fuhr, PhD, Leibniz Institute of Prevention Research and Epidemiology, Germany; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom
Felicity Louise Brown, PhD, MPsychClin, United Nations Children's Fund, United States of America
Phiona Naserian Koyiet, MSc, World Vision International, Kenya

Submission Status: Closed

This collection is no longer accepting submissions.

Conflict and Health invites you to submit to our new Collection on the social determinants of mental health in populations affected by armed conflict, humanitarian crises, and forced migration.

Mental health of populations affected by armed conflict, humanitarian crises, and forced migration is shaped by the social, economic but also physical environment in which people live. Social determinants of mental health may include gender, poverty, housing, access to basic services, environmental health, racial discrimination or social exclusion, to name but a few.

Research into how social determinants can affect mental health of populations affected by armed conflict, humanitarian crises and forced migration, and how to mitigate this, is still in its infancy. This article Collection invites papers (primary research, methods papers, and reviews) that advance knowledge in this area. Papers may consider how social determinants can affect mental health; what interventions or programmes targeting these social determinants may reduce risk of mental ill health or promote better mental health at the local or national level; and/or policy or system-strengthening work relating to social determinants.

Image credits: © gionnixxx / Getty Images / iStock
 

New Content ItemThis collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being; SDG 5: Gender Equality; SDG 10: Reduced Inequality; SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

  1. The association between witnessing intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) and experiencing violence against children (VAC) has received limited attention in humanitarian settings. We examined the prev...

    Authors: George Odwe, Francis Obare, Stella Muthuri, Peter Kisaakye, Dagim Habteyesus, Gloria Seruwagi, Yohannes Dibaba Wado, Yadeta Dessie, Bonnie Wandera, Caroline W. Kabiru and Chi-Chi Undie
    Citation: Conflict and Health 2025 19:24
    Content type: Research Published on:

  2. Experiencing violence and conflict during childhood and adolescence can significantly impact mental health, including affecting young people’s social and economic development. We lack research in conflict-affe...

    Authors: Sanne Weber, Francy Carranza, Ana María Arango, Juan Roberto Rengifo, Mónica Pinilla-Roncancio, Sarah-Jane Fenton, Germán Casas, Paul Jackson and Juan Pablo Aranguren
    Citation: Conflict and Health 2025 19:23
    Content type: Research Published on:

  3. This pilot study explored the challenges experienced by Syrian and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and the role of resilience in general health and mental wellbeing.

    Authors: Jinan Usta, Dana Janbek, Miya Abboud, Jumana Antoun, Rafika Al Ghrawi and Monica Adhiambo Onyango
    Citation: Conflict and Health 2025 19:15
    Content type: Research Published on:

  5. Poverty is a key social determinant of mental health among forcibly displaced persons. This study aimed to design and pilot test a strategy to integrate existing mental health and economic inclusion interventi...

    Authors: Arianna Moyano, Daniela Vergara, Amaleah Mirti, Annie G. Bonz, Adriana Monar, Efrén Astudillo, Sara Vaca, Karen Cordova, Andrea Armijos, Adrian Barroso, Cesar Cherrez, Jennie Cottle, Aimée DuBois, Isabella Fernandez Capriles, Jean Pierre Grandes, Matias Irarrazaval…
    Citation: Conflict and Health 2024 18:68
    Content type: Research Published on:

  6. Supportive social connections are a crucial determinant of the mental health and adjustment of youth in conflict-torn regions. Conflict-affected youth face particular risks to their well-being due to high leve...

    Authors: Florian Scharpf, Roos Haer and Tobias Hecker
    Citation: Conflict and Health 2024 18:65
    Content type: Research Published on:

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original research, method papers, and reviews. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. 

Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. Please, select the appropriate Collection title “Social Determinants of Mental Health" under the “Details” tab during the submission stage.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer-review process. The peer-review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.