PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
The psychological burden of conflict-induced displacement is severe. Currently, there are 80 million displaced persons around the world, and their number is expected to increase in upcoming decades. Yet, few studies have systematically assessed the effectiveness of programs that assist displaced persons, especially in settings of extreme vulnerability. We focus on eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where myriad local armed conflicts have driven cycles of displacement for over 20 years. We conducted a within-village randomized field experiment with 976 households, across 25 villages, as part of the United Nations\' Rapid Response to Population Movements program. The program provided humanitarian relief to over a million people each year, including vouchers for essential nonfood items, such as pots, pans, cloth, and mattresses. The vouchers led to large improvements in psychological well-being: a 0.32 standard deviation unit (SDU) improvement at 6 weeks, and a 0.18 SDU improvement at 1 year. There is no evidence that the program undermined social cohesion within the village, which alleviates worries related to programs that target some community members but not others. Finally, there was no improvement in child health.
摘要：
冲突造成的流离失所的心理负担是严重的。目前,全世界有八千万人流离失所,他们的数量预计将在未来几十年增加。然而，很少有研究系统地评估援助流离失所者的方案的有效性，特别是在极端脆弱的环境中。我们关注刚果民主共和国东部，20多年来，无数的地方武装冲突推动了流离失所的循环。我们对976户家庭进行了村内随机田间试验，在25个村庄，作为联合国“快速应对人口迁移计划”的一部分。该计划每年为100多万人提供人道主义救济，包括基本非食品项目的代金券，如锅，平底锅,布,和床垫。券导致心理幸福感的大幅改善：6周时0.32标准差单位（SDU）改善，和0.18SDU改善在1年。没有证据表明该计划破坏了村庄内的社会凝聚力，这减轻了与针对某些社区成员而不是其他人的计划有关的担忧。最后,儿童健康没有改善。
