Nov 1 — One in five Ukrainian healthcare workers suffers from prolonged war-related stress, including symptoms of anxiety, uncertainty, and decreased self-esteem. This was evidenced by a survey on the state of mental health of medical personnel in Ukraine conducted by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), an international humanitarian organization. The survey was published on October 28. 

“The healthcare system has been under immense strain, with bombings damaging health facilities and disrupting services. As per the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022 till September 2024, over 100 healthcare workers have been killed due to Russian shelling,” say authors of the survey “State of Health Workforce Mental Health in Ukraine”.

During the full-scale war, Russia destroyed 226 medical facilities in Ukraine and damaged 1,685 of them. Double-tap strike tactics the Russian military employs targets first responders to various attacks on civilian and critical infrastructure in Ukraine, including medics. 

IRC’s poll also shows that 46% of all respondents do not share an optimistic view of the future, and 65% of young doctors do not believe in a positive tomorrow.

According to the survey, the worst health outcomes were observed among doctors (23%), nurses (20%), paramedics (17%), and midwives (12%). 

At the same time, women working in medical institutions demonstrated a higher level of resilience than men: 19.5% of female respondents indicated a negative impact of the war on their health, compared to 21.5% of male respondents.

Meanwhile, older people proved to be more resilient than young: among those aged over 50, 17% feel a deterioration in their mental health, as opposed to 24% of those aged 18 to 30, and 30% of those aged 31 to 49.

“Healthcare workers have gone beyond their traditional duties, providing emergency care, sexual and reproductive care (SRH) and mental health to ensure continuity of care. However, the war has made healthcare workers a vulnerable group, with heightened stress, long working hours, and shortages of essential supplies,” authors of the study say. 

Healthcare workers from Kharkiv region comprised 44% of respondents to the survey. 18% of all respondents from Kharkiv reported negative impact of Russian-Ukrainian war on their mental health. 

Researchers note, “Data across the assessed Oblasts of Ukraine shows that the highest level of resilience is mainly in the areas experiencing shelling and attacks.”  

Author: Oleksandra Tarasenko

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