Cognitive Impairments Among Sudanese Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons Affected by the Ongoing Sudan War: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Abstract Background Displacement due to conflict exposes individuals to trauma and stressors that may impair cognitive functioning. Refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are particularly vulnerable, yet access to psychological support remains limited. Methods A cross-sectional study enrolled 266 participants (89.1% female; mean age 25.8 ± 23.3 years), including 145 refugees and 121 IDPs. Data on displacement duration, residency type, access to necessities, exposure to violence, and psychological support were collected. CFQ scores (range: 0-100) were analyzed against demographics and displacement factors using chi-square tests and correlation analyses. Results High CFQ scores (≥ 43) were prevalent in 66.5% of participants, with females significantly more affected than males (68.8% vs. 48.3%; p = 0.025). Forgetfulness (e.g., misplacing items: 38%) and distractibility (e.g., uncompleted tasks: 52.3%) were common. High CFQ scores correlated with difficulties accessing life necessities (p = 0.001) and exposure to violence (p = 0.012), but not with age, displacement status, duration, or residency type. Only 10.5% received psychological support, primarily cultural programs (35.7% of recipients), with 57.1% reporting marginal or no effectiveness. Conclusion Cognitive failures are prevalent among displaced populations, disproportionately affecting women and those facing resource scarcity or violence. Despite low utilization, existing psychological support programs showed limited efficacy, underscoring the need for targeted, gender-sensitive interventions to address cognitive health in displacement settings