Analysis of the mental сondition of Ukrainians and ways to optimize it during the Ukrainian-Russian war

Abstract Background According to the World Health Organization (WHO), due to the war, a quarter of Ukrainians are at risk of mental disorders. The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of war events on the mental state of Ukrainians during 2021–2023 and ways to optimize it. Analysis of the state of mental health of Ukrainians will contribute not only to the reduction of the general level of stress-associated somatic pathology of internal organs, but also help to develop optimal ways for its correction and save budget costs for the treatment of this category of patients. Methods The study is a model of an open prospective cohort study, in which 513 people from the Mykolaiv region participated. According to the existing mental disorder, the patients were divided into 3 groups: 1st group (n = 171) patients with depression, 2nd group (n = 171) patients with anxiety disorders; 3rd group (n = 171) patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. Results In 2021, the diagnosis of a major depressive episode without psychotic symptoms was established 1.5 times (χ2 = 0.96, p = 0.003) and 2.3 times less often (χ2 = 2.06, p = 0.013) than in 2022 and 2023; severe depressive episode with psychotic symptoms in 2023 and 2022 was registered 2.3 times (χ2 = 3.06, p = 0.011) and 1.9 times more (χ2 = 1.04, p = 0.012) than in 2021. Recurrent depressive disorder was registered 1.8 times more often (χ2 = 1.86, p = 0.01) in 2023 and 1.5 times (χ2 = 2.24, p = 0.04) more in 2022 than in 2021. The number of patients with persistent affective mood disorders/dysthymia increased in 3.0 times (χ2 = 1.30, p = 0.04) in 2023 and in 2.4 times (χ2 = 3.06, p = 0.03) compared to 2021. Conclusions The results of the study showed that during the war in Ukraine, the prevalence of mental disorders doubled. This research emphasized that the acceleration of the optimization of the metal state of Ukrainians, which is caused by the destructive impact of the war, is possible only with cooperative cooperation not only at the level of the individual, Ukrainian government, but also with the active support of the international community.