The health impact of war^†

^†A version of this paper was originally published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in Violence Prevention in Low- and Middle-Income countries: Finding a place on the Global agenda, Washington DC: The National Academies Press, 2008. However, the responsibility for the content of this article rests with the authors and does not necessarily represent the views of the IOM or its committees and convening bodies.

Abstract

Armed conflict causes an enormous amount of death and disability worldwide. It destroys families, communities and cultures. It diverts scarce resources. It disrupts the societal infrastructure that supports health. It forces people to leave their homes and become internally displaced persons or refugees who have fled to other countries. It violates human rights. It promotes violence as a means to resolve conflicts and it degrades the environment. Armed conflict has an even more profound effect on low- and middle-income countries. Health professionals can play important roles in minimising the adverse consequences of war and in preventing war itself.

Keywords:

• collective violence
• war
• armed conflict
• human rights
• social justice
• prevention

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Mark Rosenberg and James Mercy for their perceptive comments on the draft of this paper and their cogent suggestions for its improvement.

Notes

^†A version of this paper was originally published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in Violence Prevention in Low- and Middle-Income countries: Finding a place on the Global agenda, Washington DC: The National Academies Press, 2008. However, the responsibility for the content of this article rests with the authors and does not necessarily represent the views of the IOM or its committees and convening bodies.