Medical students’ mental health after the first year of war in Ukraine: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Ukrainian medical students face a high risk of mental health issues, including depression and anxiety, which exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war. This study examines their mental health one year into the war, focusing on depression, anxiety, and coping strategies while identifying vulnerable groups. A cross-sectional study was conducted during 2023, involving 506 students from Bogomolets National Medical University in Kyiv and 380 from the University of Split, Croatia, as a control group. A higher proportion of Ukrainian students had a history of mental health problems (37.5%) compared to their Croatian peers, along with higher rates of depression (52.2%) and anxiety (44.8%). Key predictors including warrelated stressors, financial problems, and displacement were strongly linked to depression and anxiety, though some factors had stronger associations with specific conditions. These findings highlight the war’s severe mental health toll on medical students, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions.