The impact of the war in Ukraine on the prevalence of mental disorders among healthcare workers

Purpose is to investigate the prevalence of symptoms of certain mental disorders among healthcare workers who have been exposed to war-related stress in Ukraine. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted among healthcare workers employed at 8 civilian medical facilities in the Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, and Zakarpattia regions of Ukraine (a total of 454 participants). A cross-sectional research design was used for this study. The mental health assessment included questionnaires based on the PCL-5, PHQ-9, and GAD-7 scales, providing a comprehensive approach to assessing respondents’ psychological well-being. Results. The results of a survey of healthcare workers at eight medical facilities located in four regions of Ukraine revealed relatively high prevalence rates of PTSD, anxiety, and depression among respondents. Specifically, among the 454 study participants, more than a third (37%) of respondents reported symptoms of at least one of these disorders. This may indicate that healthcare workers who have experienced war-related stress have higher rates of mental health disorders compared to the general population. Depression is the most common disorder among respondents (37%). Nearly 13% of respondents had symptoms of moderate or even severe depression. Conclusions. The study results demonstrated a significant impact of war-related stress on the mental health of medical personnel working in Ukraine: more than a third of healthcare workers exhibited symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or anxiety. The prevalence of mental disorders was higher among healthcare workers employed in hospitals located in regions near the front lines compared to healthcare workers working in other regions.