Trauma exposure and risk of post-traumatic stress disorder among youth and young adults during the Russia-Ukraine war.

BACKGROUND

The Russia-Ukraine War has led to widespread trauma. This study examines how various traumatic events influence the risk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among Ukrainian youth and young adults.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of PTSD symptoms and the association between different trauma types and PTSD risk in a war-affected Ukrainian population aged 10-26 years.

PARTICIPANTS AND

SETTING

2086 youth and young adults attending schools and universities in Eastern Ukraine after the Russian invasion onset were assessed between October 2022 and February 2023. The data were collected as part of two surveys: Ukrainian Longitudinal Study (ULS) and annual cross-sectional survey Youth and Drugs (ULS+).

METHODS

Trauma exposure was measured using the 14-item Self-Report Trauma History Form, and PTSD symptoms were evaluated with the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index for DSM-5 Brief Form. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models examined associations between trauma types, sociodemographics and clinical PTSD.

RESULTS

23.49 % of participants met the clinical PTSD cutoff. Interpersonal traumas like forced sex (aOR = 1.66, 95 % CI:1.03-2.68), unwanted sexual touching (aOR = 1.81, 95 % CI:1.31-2.49), and physical assault at home (aOR = 1.55, 95 % CI:1.04-2.31) showed stronger associations with PTSD than non-interpersonal traumas including war. Female sex (aOR = 0.35, 95 % CI:0.25-0.49) and lower income (aOR = 0.75, 95 % CI:0.67-0.84) increased PTSD risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Study reports high prevalence of PTSD symptoms among youth and young adults in a war-affected region, with interpersonal trauma - particularly sexual and physical violence - posing significantly higher risk than war-related trauma. Findings highlight the need for trauma-informed interventions tailored to the Ukrainian context.