Психічне здоров’я молоді в умовах військових конфліктів

Abstract

The complex set of political, social, economic and environmental factors that result from military conflicts have an indirect and prolonged effect on public health. The destruction of medical and public health infrastructure complicates the process of providing assistance to victims, limiting both access and quality. Mental health is an important dimension of human capital that significantly affects aspects of human life such as well-being, employment, work, capital, stigma, and so on. According to the WHO, in situations of armed conflict, about 10% of traumatized people will have serious mental health problems, and another 10% will develop behaviors that interfere with their ability to function effectively. Depression, anxiety and psychosomatic problems, such as insomnia, are the most common consequences. The younger generation living in conflict-affected areas is vulnerable to mental health problems. During the war, young people face two types of traumatic events: type I (sudden traumatic event) and type II (prolonged exposure to adverse events, which leads to dysfunctional coping mechanisms). As a result, young people suffer from anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and dissociative disorders. The most important variables that determine the impact of war on the mental health of young people are the deprivation of basic resources (housing, water, food, education, health, etc.); broken family relationships (due to loss, separation or relocation); stigma and discrimination (significantly affect identity); pessimistic worldview (constant feeling of loss and grief, inability to see a bright future). Meta-analyzes use mixed methods to study mental health and psychosocial well-being in non-standard settings, such as focus groups and in-depth interviews. This is necessary for the formation of the research question, modification of tools for the analysis of local situations and interpretation of the collected epidemiological data. Models of rehabilitation of psychosocial systems are based on the need for a multilevel approach to psychosocial interventions that take into account the individual, family and the community as a whole. The public health model requires the interaction between social and individual age and time variables, with particular emphasis on risk and protection groups at different stages of life.