Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms and Quality of Life Among West Bank Nursing Students Following the October 7th Gaza War: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The October 7th, 2023 war on the Gaza Strip triggered widespread psychological distress across Palestine. Nursing students in the West Bank, already under academic and clinical stressors, are particularly susceptible to post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and reduced quality of life (QOL). To assess the prevalence and severity of PTSS and its association with QOL among West Bank nursing students after the Gaza war. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 339 undergraduate nursing students from a West Bank university. Data were collected using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised and WHOQOL-BREF instruments. Analyses included descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and Eta coefficients using SPSS v20. Students showed high levels of PTSS: intrusion (M = 1.92, SD = 0.87), avoidance (M = 1.73, SD = 0.89), and hyperarousal (M = 1.75, SD = 0.91), with a total PTSS score of M = 5.41. The overall QOL score was moderate (M = 3.25, SD = 0.57), with the environmental domain scoring lowest (M = 2.93, SD = 0.81). Exposure to checkpoint violence (reported by 49.2%) was associated with higher PTSS (M = 6.09 vs. 4.90; p < .001) and lower QOL (M = 3.13 vs. 3.34; p = .001). The PTSS and QOL were negatively correlated (r = -0.352, p < .001). Eta coefficients indicated small-to-moderate effect sizes for checkpoint exposure: PTSS (η = 0.235), QOL (η = 0.181). West Bank nursing students experienced significant psychological distress and reduced QOL following the Gaza war, especially those exposed to checkpoint violence. These findings underscore the need for targeted mental health interventions and academic accommodations in conflict-affected educational settings.