# War-Related Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms Among Healthcare Workers in Lebanon: A Cross-Sectional Study

## TL;DR

This study finds that healthcare workers in Lebanon face high risk of post-traumatic stress symptoms due to the 2023-2024 war, with factors like gender, profession, and income playing a role.

## Contribution

This is the first study to assess post-traumatic stress symptoms in Lebanese healthcare workers during the 2023-2024 war, identifying key risk factors.

## Key findings

- 18.4% of healthcare workers showed elevated risk for post-traumatic stress symptoms.
- Female gender, nursing profession, and lower income were associated with higher symptom severity.
- Direct war-related exposures like displacement or injury increased risk of post-traumatic stress symptoms.

## Abstract

Introduction

The 2023-2024 Israeli-Lebanese war has inflicted widespread trauma. On the front line, healthcare workers (HCWs) face psychological stressors, yet their mental health has received limited research. This study assesses the risk of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) development among Lebanese HCWs while exploring associations with sociodemographic and war-related factors.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Lebanese American University Medical Center-Rizk Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon, between December 2024 and June 2025. An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was completed by 370 HCWs and included sociodemographic characteristics, war-related exposures, and the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (PCL-5). A PCL-5 score ≥33 indicated an elevated risk of PTSS. Statistical analyses included independent-samples t-tests, ANOVA or Welch’s ANOVA, and Pearson correlation, with non-parametric sensitivity analyses performed as appropriate.

Results

Among participants, 68 (18.4%) were at high PTSS risk. Higher PCL-5 scores were associated with female gender, the nursing profession, lower income, prior PTSD diagnosis, and direct war-related exposures, including displacement, personal injury, or loss of a relative. Income showed a significant negative correlation with PTSS severity. Among physicians, ophthalmologists exhibited the highest scores, correlating with the nature of injuries sustained during a mass bombardment on September 17, 2024.

Conclusion

Lebanese HCWs are at high risk for PTSD following the war, highlighting the urgent need for mental health interventions and support.