OBJECTIVE: To characterise social determinants of health, mental health problems and potentially problematic symptoms in the adult population displaced by internal armed conflict in Colombia.
METHODS: Cross-sectional descriptive study with a random sample of 98 adults forcefully displaced to Soacha, Colombia, due to internal armed conflict. The Self Report Questionnaire to detect potentially problematic mental health problems and symptoms, and a structured questionnaire on social determinants of health were applied.
RESULTS: The median age was 38 [interquartile range, 28-46] years, and women predominated (69.39%). The median time since displacement was 36 [16-48] months, and time since settlement in Soacha, 48 [5-48] months. 86.32% survived on less than the minimum wage per month and 93.87% did not have an employment contract. 42.86% and 7.14% reported being owners of their homes before and after displacement, respectively. Upon arriving in Soacha, 79.60% went to primary support networks and 3% to institutions. Before displacement, 16.33% lacked health insurance and 27.55% afterwards. Regarding mental health problems; there were possible depressive or anxious disorders in 57.29%; possible psychosis in 36.73%; and potentially problematic symptoms in 91.66%, being more prevalent and serious in women (p = 0.0025).
CONCLUSIONS: A deterioration in living conditions and a higher prevalence of potentially problematic mental health problems and symptoms was reported in displaced adult populations settled in Soacha compared to other regions of the country. Analyses with complementary perspectives are required to evaluate these differences.

BACKGROUND: The prolonged sociopolitical phenomenon of Colombian violence generated a high number of victims, many of whom suffered a continual process of internal displacement and stigma-discrimination complex.
OBJECTIVE: To postulate possible mechanisms by which victims of Colombia\'s internal armed conflict in a situation of forced displacement were stigmatized and discriminated.
RESULTS: Stigma affects mental health, not only because it represents a major stressor for discriminated individuals and groups, but also because it accounts for inequalities and inequities in health. Initially, as the victims of the internal armed conflict in situation of forced displacement were not considered as such, but as responsible for the situation. Thus, they had to cope with the social and economic inequalities, explained partially by low categorization or status that they received, possibly due to poor construction of social capital in the country. Also, victims of the internal armed conflict suffer from intersectional stigma and discrimination due to other characteristics such as gender, sexual orientation, ethnic-racial origin, or meeting criteria for a mental disorder.
CONCLUSIONS: An active process of inclusive social development is required for the displaced victims of the armed conflict,in order to reduce multiple stigma and ensure their mental health.

BACKGROUND: In Colombia, the internal armed conflict is a public health problem that generates various forms of violence (forced disappearances, forced displacement, massacres, torture and sexual violence). Violence is a major psychosocial stressor that impairs the mental health of the Colombian population. However, there are no real estimates on the prevalence of mental symptoms, possible cases and disorders in victims of violence in displacement situations.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of mental symptoms, possible cases and disorders due to the forced displacement of victims of the armed conflict in Colombia during the past two decades (1994-2013).
METHODS: A systematic review was carried out on all available studies published over the last twenty years. The keywords used were \"armed conflict\", \"mental disorders\", \"mental health\", \"prevalence\" and \"Colombia\". Authors observed the frequency of symptoms, possible cases, and mental disorders.
RESULTS: Thirteen studies involving adults were included. The prevalence of symptoms was observed as between 9.9% and 63%; possible cases, between 21% and 97.3%; and mental disorders, between 1.5% and 32.9%.
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of symptoms, possible cases and mental disorders is high in this Colombian population. This finding should be interpreted with caution due to the high heterogeneity and low quality of the studies. More research is needed.