Ukraine has been embroiled in an increasing war since February 2022. In addition to Ukrainians, the Russo-Ukraine war has affected Poles due to the refugee crisis and the Taiwanese, who are facing a ...potential crisis with China. We examined the mental health status and associated factors in Ukraine, Poland, and Taiwan. The data will be used for future reference as the war is still ongoing. From March 8 to April 26, 2022, we conducted an online survey using snowball sampling techniques in Ukraine, Poland, and Taiwan. Depression, anxiety, and stress were measured using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress (DASS)-21 item scale; post-traumatic stress symptoms by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and coping strategies by the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief-COPE). We used multivariate linear regression to identify factors significantly associated with DASS-21 and IES-R scores. There were 1626 participants (Poland: 1053; Ukraine: 385; Taiwan: 188) in this study. Ukrainian participants reported significantly higher DASS-21 (p < 0.001) and IES-R (p < 0.01) scores than Poles and Taiwanese. Although Taiwanese participants were not directly involved in the war, their mean IES-R scores (40.37 ± 16.86) were only slightly lower than Ukrainian participants (41.36 ± 14.94). Taiwanese reported significantly higher avoidance scores (1.60 ± 0.47) than the Polish (0.87 ± 0.53) and Ukrainian (0.91 ± 0.5) participants (p < 0.001). More than half of the Taiwanese (54.3%) and Polish (80.3%) participants were distressed by the war scenes in the media. More than half (52.5%) of the Ukrainian participants would not seek psychological help despite a significantly higher prevalence of psychological distress. Multivariate linear regression analyses found that female gender, Ukrainian and Polish citizenship, household size, self-rating health status, past psychiatric history, and avoidance coping were significantly associated with higher DASS-21 and IES-R scores after adjustment of other variables (p < 0.05). We have identified mental health sequelae in Ukrainian, Poles, and Taiwanese with the ongoing Russo-Ukraine war. Risk factors associated with developing depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic stress symptoms include female gender, self-rating health status, past psychiatric history, and avoidance coping. Early resolution of the conflict, online mental health interventions, delivery of psychotropic medications, and distraction techniques may help to improve the mental health of people who stay inside and outside Ukraine.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The Russo-Ukrainian War has led to a humanitarian crisis, and many people volunteered to help affected refugees. This cross-sectional survey study investigates the relationships between the ...psychological impact of participation, coping mechanisms, and motivational functions of volunteering during the Russo-Ukrainian War among 285 Ukrainian and 435 Polish volunteers (N = 720). Multivariate linear regression was used to examine relationships between motivational functions and psychosocial and demographic characteristics. Ukrainian volunteers reported significantly higher Hyperarousal and Avoidance, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress, Problem-focused, Emotion-focused, and Avoidant coping, as well as total scores of Hardiness and Psychological Capital than Polish counterparts. Linear regression analysis found that Impact of the Event Scale results, Coping with Stress, being a female, unemployed, and religious were significantly associated with higher motivational functions. Ukrainian volunteers could significantly reduce negative feelings and strengthen social networks and religious faith by volunteering, while Polish volunteers were significantly more likely to gain skills and psychosocial development from helping others.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The aim of the present study was to explore whether remote and on-site work stress during the COVID-19 pandemic was experienced with different severity. The second goal was to investigate stress ...conditions at both working modes.
The study involved 946 individuals working in the education system and BSS sector in different Polish organizations. The following tools were used: the
by Dudek and Hauk, the Polish version of the scales to measure work-family conflicts by Grzywacz, Frone, Brewer and Kovner, Meyer and
in the Polish adaptation by Bańka, Wołowska and Bazińska, the
by Zalewska.
The analysis of intergroup differences revealed that remote work stress severity was significantly lower than on-site work stress severity. The regression analyses proved that work-family conflict and job satisfaction were significant predictors of remote and on-site work stress. Continuance commitment positively predicted on-site work stress. Both models turned out to be statistically significant. The variables included in the models explained 39% and 35% of the variability of the remote work and on-site work stress, respectively.
Remote work is associated with lower stress severity than on-site work. For both types of work, the higher the level of work-family conflict, the higher the level of stress severity, but the higher the job satisfaction, the lower the stress severity. Continuance commitment is positively related to on-site stress, which means that people who work for an organization and see no alternative feel more stressed. Such an effect was observed only in the case of on-site work. The study findings are discussed in light of previous research, and implications for organizational practice are considered. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(1):96-111.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The present study aimed to investigate the factors associated with the level of rumination about the war among people living in Poland and Ukraine. This cross-sectional study recruited internet users ...from advertisements on social media. Levels of rumination, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), time spent on news of the war, and related demographic variables were collected. The reliability and construct validity of rumination were estimated. Potential factors associated with the level of rumination were identified using univariate linear regression analysis, and further entered into a stepwise multivariate linear regression model to identify independent factors. Due to the non-normality of distribution, multivariate linear regression with 5000 bootstrap samples was used to verify the results. A total of 1438 participants were included in the analysis, of whom 1053 lived in Poland and 385 lived in Ukraine. The questionnaires on rumination were verified to have satisfactory reliability and validity. After analysis with stepwise and bootstrap regression, older age, female gender, higher DASS and IES-R scores, and longer time spent on news of the war were significantly associated with higher levels of rumination for both people living in Poland and Ukraine. Lower self-rated health status, history of chronic medical illness and coronavirus disease 2019 infection were also positively associated with rumination for people living in Poland. We identified several factors associated with the level of rumination about the Russo-Ukrainian War. Further investigations are warranted to understand how rumination affects individuals' lives during crises such as war.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Since the onset of COVID-19, public health policies and public opinions changed from stringent preventive measures against spread of COVID-19 to policies accommodating life with continued, diminished ...risk for contracting COVID-19. Poland is a country that demonstrated severe psychological impact and negative mental health. The study aims to examine psychological impact and changes in levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among three cross-sectional samples of Polish people and COVID-19-related factors associated with adverse mental health.
In total, 2324 Polish persons participated in repeated cross-sectional studies across three surveys: Survey 1 (22 to 26 March 2020), Survey 2 (21 October to 3 December 2020), and Survey 3 (3 November to 10 December 2021). Participants completed an online survey, including Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), demographics, knowledge, and concerns of COVID-19 and precautionary measures.
A significant reduction of IES-R scores was seen across surveys, while DASS-21 scores were significantly higher in Survey 2. There was significant reduction in the frequency of following COVID-19 news, recent COVID-19 testing, and home isolation from Survey 1 to 3. Being emale was significantly associated with higher IES-R and DASS-21 scores in Surveys 1 and 2. Student status was significantly associated with higher DASS-21 across surveys. Chills, myalgia, and fatigue were significantly associated with high IES-R or DASS-21 scores across surveys. Frequency of wearing masks and perception that mask could reduce risk of COVID-19 were significantly associated with higher IES-R and DASS-21 scores.
Conclusions: The aforementioned findings indicate a reduction in the level of the measured subjective distress andin the frequency of checking COVID-19 news-related information across three periods during the pandemic in Poland.
Background: The 2022 War in Ukraine has significantly affected the psychological well-being and daily lives of people in many countries.
Objective: Two aims of this transnational study were (1) to ...compare psychological distress and coping strategies among people living in Ukraine, Poland, and Taiwan, (2) to examine whether the associations between various coping strategies (ie. problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, and avoidance) and psychological distress (ie. depression, anxiety, stress, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and hopelessness about the ongoing war) differed among people of various countries during the initial stage of the 2022 War in Ukraine.
Method: In total, 1,598 participants (362 from Ukraine, 1,051 from Poland, and 185 from Taiwan) were recruited using an online advertisement to complete online survey questionnaires, including the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced inventory; the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale; the Impact of Event Scale-Revised; and a questionnaire devised to assess the level of hopelessness about the ongoing war.
Results: Psychological distress and adoption of coping strategies differed across people of various countries. Among Taiwanese and Polish respondents, avoidant coping strategies were most strongly associated with all categories of psychological distress compared with problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies. However, the associations of various coping strategies with psychological distress differed to a less extent among Ukrainian respondents. In addition, problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies had comparable associations with psychological distress among the people of Ukraine, Poland, and Taiwan.
Conclusions: The 2022 War in Ukraine has affected the psychological well-being of people, especially the Ukrainians. Because of the strong association between the adoption of avoidance coping strategies and psychological distress, despite a less extent among Ukrainian respondents, adaptive coping strategies such as (problem- and emotion-focused) are suggested to help people during times of war.
The 2022 War in Ukraine affected the psychological well-being in Ukraine and elsewhere.
Compared with problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies, avoidant coping strategies had stronger association with psychological distress, but it varied among different cultures.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The Russo-Ukrainian War has resulted in massive social, economic, and psychological burdens worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the associations between time spent on the war-related news and ...psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the mediating effects of rumination on the associations in people residing in Poland and Ukraine.
This cross-sectional study recruited 1438 internet users in Poland and Ukraine, and collected data on levels of rumination, psychological distress, and the amount of time spent on and sources of the news of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Structural equation modeling with bootstrapping methods was used to evaluate the mediation effect. Multivariate linear regression was used to identify predictive effect of the source of the war-related news on psychological distress and rumination.
The results showed a mediating effect of rumination on the association between the amount of time spent on the war-related news and psychological distress among participants in Poland (β = 0.16, p < 0.001) and Ukraine (β = 0.15, p < 0.001). Approaching the news from television was associated with rumination (β = 0.607, p < 0.001) and PTSD symptoms in Poland (β = 2.475, p = 0.009), while approaching news from the internet was associated with rumination in Poland (β = 0.616, p = 0.001).
The study identified the mediating effect of rumination and the associations of approaching the war-related news from television and the internet with mental health.
Aim. The aim was to study motivation functions and the psycho-emotional reaction to participation in volunteering in Polish and Ukrainian volunteers who assisted Ukrainian refugees at the beginning ...of the war in Ukraine in 2022. Methods. For the empirical study of volunteers, the team of authors developed the questionnaire. The Volunteer Functions Inventory VFI and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales DASS were used. The significance of the differences between the mean results of the measured variables in the Polish and Ukrainian samples was tested using the Student's t-test. Volunteers' expectations of volunteer leaders were tested by analysing responses to the open exploratory question. Results. The article reveals similarities and significant differences between Polish and Ukrainian volunteers in their motives and psycho-emotional reactions to volunteering. A common motive for both samples is that they are not helping for the sake of their professional careers. Ukrainian volunteers had higher rates of protective, religious, and social motivation functions of volunteering. Polish volunteers had higher rates of motivation based on understanding and empowerment opportunities. Ukrainian volunteers scored higher than Polish volunteers on the depression, anxiety, and stress scales. Volunteers' motivation expectations of leaders indicate the importance for volunteers of leaders' adherence to values, openness of intentions and actions, and attentiveness to volunteers' difficulties. Conclusion. The survey results can be used in psychological training for volunteers, in planning the activities of volunteer leaders, and in developing new methods for studying volunteer motivation.
