SSM. Mental health最新文献

{"title":"Health perceptions of older individuals on the cognitive benefits of a multicomponent green physical activity program: A qualitative exploration in the Southwest Region of Bahia, Brazil","authors":"Carolina Rego Chaves Dias ,&nbsp;Saulo Vasconcelos Rocha ,&nbsp;Milena Fernandez Dias ,&nbsp;Bruno Morbeck de Queiroz ,&nbsp;Natália Nascimento Silva ,&nbsp;Ariani França Conceição ,&nbsp;Bruna Maria Palotino-Ferreira ,&nbsp;Sonia Brito-Costa ,&nbsp;Sofia de Lurdes Rosas da Silva ,&nbsp;Clarice Alves dos Santos ,&nbsp;Lélia Renata Carneiro Vasconcelos ,&nbsp;Guilherme Eustáquio Furtado","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100401","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100401","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and aims</h3><div>A multicomponent exercise program (MEP) is a tailored, physical activity-based intervention that incorporates several exercise modalities to improve physical function and reduce negative health consequences, such as cognitive decline. The program incorporates green exercise (MEP-G), which is a low-cost, outdoor activity that fosters both physical and mental health benefits. The aim of this study was to explore older individuals’ perceptions regarding the effectiveness of a MEP-G on their cognitive and mental health status.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This qualitative intervention study targeted individuals aged ≥60 years, physically independent, and not previously engaged in physical exercise programs, registered in the National Family Health Strategy Program in Jequié, Southwest Bahia, Brazil. A total of 14 participants were analyzed through random sampling after systematic allocation into two groups: the MEP-G and the Theoretical Behavioral Change Program (BCP). Post-intervention interviews were conducted using the focus group technique, guided by a structured question script. Data were analyzed using Bardin's content analysis method, with IRAMUTEQ software for data processing and analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The analysis revealed six main themes: (1) \"Role of Socialization in Older Individuals' Health Context,\" (2) \"Positive Effects of Guided Programs on Functional Capacity,\" (3) \"Relationship Between Healthy Habits and Successful Aging,\" (4) \"Physical Exercise as an Effective Non-Pharmacological Treatment for Mental Health,\" (5) \"Adherence to a More Active Lifestyle,\" and (6) \"Negative Effects of a Sedentary Lifestyle on Mental Health.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The findings highlighted that the MEP-G, potentially integrated into the BCP program, contributed to improvements in participants' subjective perceptions of functional autonomy and mental health. The program demonstrated its potential as an effective, low-cost, short-term intervention to promote an active lifestyle and enhance health outcomes in older adults, with the capacity for large-scale implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74861,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Mental health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100401"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143761150","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of potential traumatic events (PTE) contributing to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) six years after cessation of war among populations in northern Sri Lanka: An analysis of a follow-up study from a nationwide sample","authors":"Rohan Jayasuriya ,&nbsp;Shehan Williams ,&nbsp;Ruwanthi Perera ,&nbsp;Pavithra Godamunne ,&nbsp;Rajitha Wickremasinghe ,&nbsp;Alvin Kuowei Tay","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100412","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100412","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study aims were firstly to identify potential traumatic events (PTE) and stressors faced by the population in the districts of Northern Sri Lanka exposed to the decades-long conflict and secondly to predict Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) based on conceptually derived composites of the PTE. <span><span>https://www.editorialmanager.com/SSMMH/</span><svg><path></path></svg></span></div><div>Data for this study were collected in 2015. The sample consisted of 1526 individuals in northern Sri Lanka who were all exposed to the prolonged war and who had all previously participated in a baseline study in 2014. Four composites of PTEs were identified: extreme violence; traumatic losses; exposure to conflict and ongoing stressors. The data were analyzed using path analysis and mediation models. The results revealed that these stressors explained 40% of the variance in PTSD. The direct path from “extreme violence” had the highest effect on PTSD, even six years after exposure. Mediation analysis identified that ongoing stressors mediated the relationship of exposure to conflict with PTSD, lending support to the “daily stressors” model among internally displaced persons (IDPs). The results suggest that early specific intervention will benefit those exposed to extreme violence and broader Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) approaches <strong>f</strong>or ongoing stressors to reduce mental distress of this population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74861,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Mental health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100412"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143454070","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectiveness of an online single-session minority stress intervention: No evidence for variation by structural stigma, internalized stigma, or social support","authors":"Ya-Wen Chang ,&nbsp;Ian Sotomayor ,&nbsp;Erica Szkody ,&nbsp;Kathryn R. Fox ,&nbsp;Jessica L. Schleider","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100409","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100409","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the United States, the experience of minority stress among LGBTQ+ youth varies across regions with high and low levels of stigma (e.g., laws, policies, and cultural norms that limit the lives of individuals with stigmatized identities). Some evidence suggests that stigma can undermine response to individual-level psychosocial interventions among youth, creating the need to identify factors that may buffer against minority stressors’ effects in high-stigma contexts. Social support may be one such factor. Therefore, among LGBTQ+ youth who received a digital, single-session intervention (SSI) focused on minority stress, we investigated whether structural and internalized stigma and social support predicted intervention response, independently or interactively. Specifically, we predicted that LGBTQ+ youth in environments characterized by high stigma would report weaker SSI responses. Further, we predicted that LGBTQ+ youth who perceived higher social support would report stronger <span>SSI</span> responses. We also tested structural stigma and social support as moderators. Using data from a previously-completed randomized evaluation, we analyzed data from 244 LGBTQ+ adolescents, aged 13–16 years, across 181 counties in 46 U.S. states, who engaged with the SSI. We created a factor representing structural stigma using confirmatory factor analysis at the county level. No evidence emerged for structural stigma or social support as a moderator of intervention effects on internalized stigma, identity pride, or mental health-related outcomes, either at post-intervention or at 2-week follow up. Results speak to the potentially broad utility of the <span>SSI</span> tested in this trial for LGBTQ+ youth with limited access to mental health support.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74861,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Mental health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100409"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143445506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Widowhood stigma as a fundamental cause of poor mental, sexual, and reproductive health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa: A conceptual framework","authors":"Jackline A. Odhiambo ,&nbsp;Louisa N. Ndunyu ,&nbsp;Erick O. Nyambedha ,&nbsp;Ushma Upadhyay ,&nbsp;Janet M. Turan ,&nbsp;Elizabeth Bukusi ,&nbsp;Nicodemus O. Agumba ,&nbsp;Craig R. Cohen ,&nbsp;Sheri D. Weiser","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100407","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100407","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Widows in sub-Saharan Africa experience stigma linked to their social identity of widowhood. Despite the known significant impacts of stigma on health and wellbeing, widowhood stigma is less conceptualized and studied and its effects on widows' mental, sexual and reproductive health are not delineated.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We thematically reviewed literature mentioning widowhood stigma and its effects in Africa. Applying the fundamental cause theory to this literature, we developed a widowhood stigma conceptual framework to highlight the domains of widowhood stigma and the pathways through which widowhood stigma impacts mental, sexual and reproductive health outcomes for widows.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We identified five domains of widowhood stigma: discriminatory socio-cultural and institutional norms, rituals, policies and laws, negative labelling and stereotyping, loss of social status, social isolation, and perceived, anticipated and internalized stigma. We show how widowhood stigma is a fundamental cause of poor mental, sexual and reproductive health outcomes through multiple pathways: distally through loss of material and social resources such as land disinheritance and lack of social support. Proximal pathways include health risk situations such as sexual exploitation and gender-based violence, maladaptive health and coping behaviors, and reduced access to health care. While several factors, such as a widows' age and educational level, might offer widows resources to resist stigma, other factors, such as intersectional stigma, might worsen the impact of widowhood stigma.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Ours is likely the first framework focused on widowhood stigma in sub-Saharan Africa. This framework should assist in research on widowhood stigma and its health impacts, and in designing and evaluating interventions for reducing widowhood stigma and improving widows' health outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74861,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Mental health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100407"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143529376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the lived experiences of psychosocial support among internally displaced persons in Sebeta temporary shelter, Ethiopia: A phenomenological study","authors":"Nimona Shaka Gudeta,&nbsp;Mastewal Mekonnen Seyeneh","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100399","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100399","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explored the lived experiences of IDPs in Sebeta, one of the temporary shelters in Ethiopia. The qualitative approach that focused on exploring the detailed psychosocial support experiences of two IDPs who were selected purposively was used. Using a phenomenological interpretative approach, researchers focused on exploring the subjective nature of the participants’ perspectives and lived experiences in-depth. Because of the small number of participants, the researchers analyzed the data focusing on reflecting the essence of each participant’s psychosocial support lived experiences into narrative summaries instead of clustering the data into themes. The narrative summaries indicated the importance of formal and informal network of psychosocial support, the components of the psychosocial support, and the challenges. The participants experienced ranges of challenges including psychological, emotional, financial, employment difficulties and adjustment difficulties during the transition and resettlement. The study offers insights on the importance of providing continuous psychosocial support to overcome emotional and psychological challenges related to flashback of past events, hopelessness and uncertain future. The study also offers suggestions on the need for community networking and re-integration in the environment. The study indicates the implication for professionals to work in teams while integrating community values in the process of psychosocial support.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74861,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Mental health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100399"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143479668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Managing delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder triggered by the Syrian war, COVID-19, and an earthquake: A case report on therapy for a sexual abuse survivor using continuous exposure and digital communication","authors":"Hussam Gharib ,&nbsp;Mohamed Bassam Hayek ,&nbsp;Ahmad Shathel Omar Dakkak ,&nbsp;Rana Khaled ,&nbsp;Salam Alchabani ,&nbsp;Aya Rajoub ,&nbsp;Mohamad Sami Mawardi ,&nbsp;Reem Hasan Obaydo","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100411","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100411","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A clinically significant number of patients suffer from delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder (delayed-onset PTSD), where symptoms appear at least six months after the traumatic event. This case report describes the combined use of pharmacotherapy with cognitive‒behavioral therapy (CBT) and Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) to treat symptoms of delayed-onset PTSD in a young Syrian girl who experienced recurring flashbacks of repeated sexual abuse that began several years prior. The death of her brother, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a subsequent earthquake in Aleppo-Syria at 2023 triggered memories of prolonged physical abuse, that were not contextually related. The patient coped with these distressing memories and unwanted thoughts through behavioral avoidance. She received treatment through psychiatric clinic sessions, and WhatsApp communication (due to confidentiality concerns), combining pharmacological therapy with psychological support. The treatment included cognitive restructuring, narrative exposure, and identifying triggers, leading to the reprocessing of trauma-related memories. Her PTSD symptoms reached a non-observable stage of PTSD, even when she was confronted with thoughts or contextual situations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74861,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Mental health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100411"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143394944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reliability of the Spanish version of the pain beliefs and perceptions inventory among women with fibromyalgia in Catalonia, Spain","authors":"Sílvia Solé ,&nbsp;Mayte Serrat ,&nbsp;David Martínez-Rubio ,&nbsp;Oriol Martínez-Navarro ,&nbsp;Andrea Fuente-Vidal ,&nbsp;Cristina Bravo ,&nbsp;Leire Ambrosio ,&nbsp;Angel Blanch","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100404","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100404","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpoe</h3><div>Fibromyalgia presents a significant challenge to individsuals due to its pervasive pain symptoms. The Pain Beliefs and Perceptions Inventory (PBPI) offers a structured tool to delve into the nuanced beliefs surrounding pain. We aim to explore the feasibility of a condensed version of PBPI in assessing pain perceptions among individuals living with fibromyalgia in Catalonia, Spain.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>During February 2020 and March 2021, 419 individuals above 18 years old (91% women) were administered a short version of the PBPI to streamline the questionnaire while retaining its core components. This reduced version was subjected to rigorous evaluation to ascertain its internal reliability.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The condensed 12-factor inventory exhibited promising internal consistency, with a Cronbach's Alpha coefficient of .72. This reliability suggests that the abbreviated PBPI maintains its integrity in capturing diverse facets of pain beliefs and perceptions among fibromyalgia patients.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Findings underscore the utility of the shortened Spanish PBPI questionnaire in assessing the multifaceted landscape of pain beliefs among individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Despite the sample is mostly represented by women, and the results need to be taken with precaution in men, this streamlined version offers an efficient tool for clinicians and researchers alike to delve into the intricate interplay between perceptions, beliefs, and the experience of pain.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74861,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Mental health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100404"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143445507","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Extending the psychometric properties of the Arabic RCMAS in Jordanian children aged 7–16: Considering gender and age invariances","authors":"Mohammad A. AL Jabery ,&nbsp;Ebenezer Afrifa-Yamoah ,&nbsp;Sara Farid Khalaf ,&nbsp;Diana H. Arabiat","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100405","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100405","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>There are diverse gender and age-based differences in levels of anxiety between boys and girls. Establishing the validity of such assessments entails inquiry on the construct validity and measurement invariance of tools. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS) to assess its suitability for measuring child anxiety and its equivalence across genders and ages. <em>Methods</em>: A cross-sectional design was employed to examine the generalizability of the measure's structure. The study was conducted between November 2021 and January 2022. A sample of 178 children (86 boys and 92 girls), aged 7–16 years, completed the Arabic version of the RCMAS. The children were recruited from six primary and middle-secondary schools in Amman, Jordan. The response rate was 98%, with 2% missing data, which were handled using listwise deletion method. Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability (CR) were utilized to assess the measure's reliability. Convergent validity and discriminant validity were evaluated using Average Variance Extracted (AVE). To assess measurement invariance across groups, a series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted. <em>Results</em>: The approximate measurement invariance was achieved between boys (48%) and girls (51.7%) and between younger (53.4%) and older children (46.6%). The confirmatory factor analysis provided acceptable fit indices for a 4-factor structure (physical, worry, concentration, and lie factors), yet the reliability of the RCMAS was marginal, and the discriminant validity was partially supported for the full scale and its sub-scales. <em>Conclusions</em>: Results represent a first step for extending and confirming the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the scale for use among children and adolescents in Jordan. More studies are needed to replicate our findings on larger sample and to provide additional evidence of the factor structure of the RCMAS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74861,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Mental health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100405"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143394943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Parent engagement with a short, animated storytelling video aimed at reducing stigma towards transgender children and adolescents: Post-trial assessment of a randomized controlled trial","authors":"Merlin Greuel ,&nbsp;Doron Amsalem ,&nbsp;Misha Seeff ,&nbsp;Jennifer Gates ,&nbsp;Shuyan Liu ,&nbsp;Andrés Martin ,&nbsp;Till Bärnighausen ,&nbsp;Maya Adam","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100410","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100410","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Transgender adolescents commonly experience hate speech on social media, contributing to transphobia and adverse health outcomes. While social media can increase polarization and stigma towards vulnerable groups, they may also facilitate intergroup contact. Short, animated storytelling (SAS) videos have shown promising stigma-reducing effects. However, there is scarce evidence on viewers’ engagement with these videos.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study evaluates the voluntary engagement of 481 US-based parents with a SAS video aimed at reducing stigma towards transgender youth.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>1267 US parents were recruited through the online platform Prolific Academic and randomized into the SAS intervention viewing the video or the control group. The optional, post-trial access to the intervention was available to the control group only. We measured the amount of time subjects in the control group spent voluntarily watching the video and analyzed this data by demographic characteristics and pre-existing transphobia, as measured by the Transgender Stigma Scale (TSS). We used chi-square tests to examine whether subjects’ engagement was associated with sociodemographic factors, and Pearson correlation tests to examine the association between baseline TSS scores and view time.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Almost all participants (95%) watched at least 50% of the video, 92% watched at least 75% of the video, 90% watched at least 90% of the video, and 88% watched the entire video. Female subjects and those with low baseline transphobia showed longer view times than male participants and those with high transphobia, respectively. We observed no association between video completion and participants’ age or race/ethnicity.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>We found significant voluntary engagement with an SAS video aimed at reducing transphobia among US parents. Engagement was high even among those with elevated transphobia. Animations rooted in authentic storytelling may thus bridge user communities with differing ideologies on social media. Future studies should test engagement in real social media environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74861,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Mental health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100410"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143387283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Explanatory models and coping with alcohol misuse among conflict-affected men in Ukraine","authors":"Sergiy Bogdanov ,&nbsp;Kateryna Koss ,&nbsp;Kimberly Hook ,&nbsp;Quincy Moore ,&nbsp;Catharina Van der Boor ,&nbsp;Alessandro Masazza ,&nbsp;Daniela C. Fuhr ,&nbsp;Bayard Roberts ,&nbsp;Carl May ,&nbsp;Olha Fedorets ,&nbsp;Oxana Bayer ,&nbsp;Andrii Karachevskyy ,&nbsp;Abhijit Nadkarni","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100398","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100398","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Affecting nearly 10% of men globally, alcohol use disorders (AUDs) represent a significant public health burden. Existing work, including from Ukraine, suggests that living in conflict settings may exacerbate the risk of AUDs. However, there is a dearth of evidence regarding alcohol misuse, as well as knowledge of factors associated with alcohol misuse patterns, in conflict settings. The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate explanatory models of alcohol misuse among conflict-affected men in Ukraine. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to recruit 66 conflict-affected men with alcohol misuse, family members of men who misuse alcohol, community health workers, and mental health and psychosocial support providers from locations across Ukraine. In the group of men who misuse alcohol (n = 25), we recruited individuals with diverse experiences of adversity: 1) internally displaced persons from eastern Ukraine and Crimea displaced after 2014; 2) Ukrainian military veterans or territorial defense volunteers from various regions; and 3) men living 5–15 km from the frontline. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in Ukrainian or Russian, and analysed using deductive and inductive analysis. Qualitative data received from each subgroup were analysed separately. The resulting explanatory model represents how Ukrainian conflict-affected men describe causes of alcohol misuse. Participants identified that alcohol misuse among Ukrainian men is often used as “self-treatment” to address mental health symptoms and feelings of demoralization that are exacerbated by a lack of supportive social environments and socio-economic problems; these behaviours also occur in an environment that deems alcohol misuse to be culturally appropriate. Family members and service providers offered a similar understanding of alcohol misuse as the men themselves. Strategies suggested by conflict-affected men to protect against alcohol misuse included engaging in alternative activities, finding supportive social environments, fear of negative consequences from alcohol misuse and increasing self-awareness and self-control. These findings indicate possible implications for interventions that target alcohol misuse among conflict-affected men, as well as demonstrate a need for developing culturally sensitive interventions that can address this unaddressed public health need.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74861,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Mental health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100398"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143402969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}