Health Needs and Care Seeking Behavior of Internally Displaced Persons Living in Jalozai Camp (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan)

Since 2009, an estimated 3 million people were displaced in Pakistan of which 10% took refuge in “camps”. To ascertain their health needs and care-seeking behavior an exploratory crosssectional survey was undertaken from November 2017 to April 2018 in Jalozai camp by interviewing 318 household heads and 318 married females using systematic and convenient sampling techniques respectively. Study findings revealed that 91% of the IDPs received some assistance for shelter, food, water, sanitation and basic health services while 37% of respondents had difficulties in fulfilling their family food demands, 38% had poor access to water. The prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases in the camp was 29% and 23% respectively. Demand for basic public health needs and health services was high and required active and coordinated interventions by both the public and private sectors. The study recommends a national health framework for IDPs