31 October 2024 — The newest data collected by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) reveals the devastating impact of Russia’s full scale invasion on the mental health of the medical workers in Ukraine.
- One in five surveyed healthcare workers experience negative effects of prolonged war-related stress, including anxiety, uncertainty, a decline in life satisfaction and self-worth.
- 30% of respondents rarely manage their difficult feelings in a healthy way, without hurting themselves or others.
- Over 40% of young nurses do not have effective strategies to cope with stress.
- 46% percent of all respondents are not optimistic about the future; 65% percent of young medical doctors lack faith in what tomorrow brings.
Almost one thousand days into the full-scale war in Ukraine, healthcare workers have gone far beyond their usual duties. They have taken on emergencies, sexual and reproductive care, and mental health support to ensure that conflict-affected people receive much-needed care, especially in the areas most severely impacted by fighting. The war—marked by heightened stress, long working hours, and shortages of essential supplies—has taken a significant mental toll on Ukrainian medical personnel, compounded by impossible decisions about whose life to save.
Dr Marko Isajlovic, IRC’s Health Coordinator in Ukraine, said:
“The IRC’s recent findings highlight the issue that often falls under the radar—the immense mental health impact of the war on the healthcare workforce, and the invisible cost of saving lives in times of war.
“The simultaneous impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and war has intensified the mental health crisis among both the general population and health workforce. Among ten million Ukrainians suffering from mental health disorders triggered by the war, medical staff face post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges as they struggle to meet rising demands.
“Fifty percent of the young medical doctors we surveyed feel that their hospital does not provide adequate support to help them cope with emergency work, nor address its mental health toll.. Over forty percent felt they were unable to effectively support their teams in stressful situations.
Against this background, Ukraine's mental healthcare still system remains constrained by limited funding, workforce shortages, and persistent stigma. Our data demonstrates how crucial it is to continue advocating for the duty of care for medical personnel, making mental health support available and destigmatising it for those who tirelessly dedicate their lives to serving others.”
Notes to editors:
- According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, more than 100 healthcare workers have been killed, 1,877 health facilities and 876 pharmacies have been destroyed or damaged, and 20% of the country's ambulances have sustained damage.
- The IRC’s wellbeing survey data among the health workforce was collected over the course of one month, from May 13 to June 14, 2024, across the ten most conflict-affected regions of Ukraine. A total of 1,552 individuals (82%) participated in the survey. The largest number of respondents came from Kharkiv (44%), followed by Kherson (10.7%), Sumy (9.8%), and Mykolaiv (9.2%). Respondents represented 72 different health facilities, with the highest number located in Lviv (12), followed by Kharkiv and Kyiv (both 11).