Mental health conditions and co-morbidities among internally displaced populations (IDPs) in Ukraine

Reliable epidemiological data on the burden of mental health conditions and key risk factors is crucial in helping to design appropriate trauma-informed mental health and psychosocial support responses for the estimated 1.4 million IDPs in Ukraine. The aim of the proposed study is to collect evidence on mental health and psychosocial support needs among IDPs in order to help inform mental health policy in Ukraine. The specific objectives were to: – measure the prevalence of mental health conditions of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and their co-morbidity; – examine the characteristics associated with the mental disorders (e.g. gender, age, trauma exposure, socio-economic stressors); – draft evidence-based recommendations for mental health and psychosocial support to relevant governmental and professional bodies in Ukraine. The study used a cross-sectional survey conducted throughout Ukraine in 2016 with 2203 IDPs aged 18 years and over. Descriptive and multivariate regression analyses were used. PTSD prevalence was 32% (22% men; 36% women), depression–22% (16% men; 25% women), and anxiety prevalence was 17% (13% men; 20% women). There were also high levels of co-morbidity between PTSD, anxiety and depression. Key factors statistically significantly associated with mental disorders included female gender, older age, cumulative trauma exposure, more recent displacement and a bad household economic situation. The findings provided sufficient evidence to draft the trauma-informed mental health policy recommendations to key policy-makers in Ukraine.