Sri Lanka was hit by a tsunami in December 2004, causing more than 40,000 deaths and displacing over a million people. Unhealthy behaviors such as the use of alcohol and tobacco, and family violence, seem to be prevalent and increasing in the affected areas, but no reliable data were available to better understand the health conditions and behavioral patterns of people living in tsunami-affected areas. The purpose of this research is to investigate, via a community-based survey, basic behavioral patterns and health conditions among adults in Southern Sri Lanka and to investigate attitudes of people on common behaviors seen in the society.

5 publications

Generates knowledge regarding health risk behaviors of teenagers and adults in southern Sri Lanka.