The mental health impact of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war 6 months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine

TL;DR

This study examines how the Russian-Ukrainian war has affected the mental health of Ukrainians six months after the invasion, finding that exposure to violence and living conditions influence trauma and stress levels.

Contribution

The study identifies predictors of trauma-related symptoms like PTSD and CPTSD in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Findings

Participants directly exposed to military actions showed higher anxiety, depression, stress, and trauma symptoms.

Those who stayed in Ukraine had lower mental health symptoms compared to those who moved abroad.

Anxiety, depression, stress, low resilience, and dissatisfaction with living conditions predicted trauma-related symptoms.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine on the mental health of Ukrainians, focusing on war-induced trauma, disturbances in self-organization, post-traumatic stress disorder, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, stress, and depression.

Data was collected from 703 participants 6 months after the full-scale invasion using a structured questionnaire that included sections on socio-demographic information, trauma-related issues, and mental health.

The study found that levels of depression and anxiety were relatively low, while stress and resilience were relatively high among Ukrainians affected by the war. However, those who were directly exposed to military actions, physical violence, or severe human suffering had higher levels of anxiety, depression, stress, and trauma-related symptoms. The war experience varied by gender, age, and living conditions. Participants who stayed in Ukraine had significantly lower anxiety, depression, stress, and trauma-related symptoms compared to those who moved abroad. Anxiety, depression, stress, low resilience, and subjective satisfaction with living conditions were predictors of trauma-related symptoms, including PTSD and CPTSD.

These findings suggest that the mental health of Ukrainians affected by the war was impacted differently depending on their level of exposure to violence and their living conditions. Additionally, the study identified several predictors of trauma-related symptoms, including PTSD and CPTSD, such as anxiety, depression, stress, low resilience, and subjective satisfaction with living conditions. Future research should further explore the relationships between trauma type, sociodemographic factors, resilience, stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD and CPTSD to better understand the mediation mechanisms underlying these relationships and to develop effective interventions to support the well-being of Ukrainians during this difficult time.

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