War-Associated Disability Status in Post-Conflict Tigray Region, Northern Ethiopia, 2023
1
Director of Research Monitoring, Training, and Publication, Tigray Health Research Institute(THRI), Mekelle, Ethiopia
2
Mekelle University, School of public Health, Mekelle city, Tigray, Ethiopia,, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A2801
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
The 2020–2022 war in Tigray, Ethiopia, caused extensive human suffering, yet data on post-war disability status remain scarce.
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the prevalence, demographic distribution, and zonal variation of war-related disabilities among the population of Tigray Region, Ethiopia
METHODS:
This study was conducted as part of the Tigray Integrated Health Survey (2023), covering both urban and rural households. A total of 13,915 households participated (response rate: 97.9%). Data were collected via ODK and analyzed using STATA version 17. Descriptive statistics summarized disability prevalence by sex, age, and zone. Only disabilities acquired after the war outbreak in November 2020 were included.
RESULTS:
Among 13,915 households surveyed, 592 (4.25%) reported at least one family member living with a disability acquired since the war. The overall individual disability prevalence was 1.8% (95% CI: 1.7–1.9). Of these, men accounted for 3.09%, women 1.04%, elders 1.06%, and children under five 0.1%. Most disabled persons lived in rural areas (75.7%) and households with low economic status (63.7%). Mekelle Zone recorded the highest disability proportion (9.8%), followed by North-Western (5.1%) and Central zones (3.9%). Projected to the regional population (~7.1 million), an estimated 127,800 individuals were disabled due to war-related causes.
CONCLUSIONS:
The study revealed a considerable burden of war-related disabilities in post-conflict Tigray, disproportionately affecting men, elders, and economically disadvantaged rural residents. These findings underscore the urgent need for early rehabilitation, psychosocial support, inclusive education, and livelihood interventions for persons with disabilities. Strengthened rehabilitation systems and targeted humanitarian support are essential for restoring functional independence and improving quality of life among affected populations.
The 2020–2022 war in Tigray, Ethiopia, caused extensive human suffering, yet data on post-war disability status remain scarce.
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the prevalence, demographic distribution, and zonal variation of war-related disabilities among the population of Tigray Region, Ethiopia
METHODS:
This study was conducted as part of the Tigray Integrated Health Survey (2023), covering both urban and rural households. A total of 13,915 households participated (response rate: 97.9%). Data were collected via ODK and analyzed using STATA version 17. Descriptive statistics summarized disability prevalence by sex, age, and zone. Only disabilities acquired after the war outbreak in November 2020 were included.
RESULTS:
Among 13,915 households surveyed, 592 (4.25%) reported at least one family member living with a disability acquired since the war. The overall individual disability prevalence was 1.8% (95% CI: 1.7–1.9). Of these, men accounted for 3.09%, women 1.04%, elders 1.06%, and children under five 0.1%. Most disabled persons lived in rural areas (75.7%) and households with low economic status (63.7%). Mekelle Zone recorded the highest disability proportion (9.8%), followed by North-Western (5.1%) and Central zones (3.9%). Projected to the regional population (~7.1 million), an estimated 127,800 individuals were disabled due to war-related causes.
CONCLUSIONS:
The study revealed a considerable burden of war-related disabilities in post-conflict Tigray, disproportionately affecting men, elders, and economically disadvantaged rural residents. These findings underscore the urgent need for early rehabilitation, psychosocial support, inclusive education, and livelihood interventions for persons with disabilities. Strengthened rehabilitation systems and targeted humanitarian support are essential for restoring functional independence and improving quality of life among affected populations.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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