The effects of war-related experiences on mental health symptoms of individuals living in conflict zones: a longitudinal study
Abstract On October 7, 2023, a large-scale attack in southern Israel and the subsequent war resulted in extensive loss of life and injuries, with many individuals experiencing traumatic losses, such as family members or close friends being killed or kidnapped. This study aims to longitudinally exami...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84410-3 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841544585826795520 |
|---|---|
| author | Doron Amsalem Shilat Haim-Nachum Amit Lazarov Yossi Levi-Belz John C. Markowitz Maja Bergman Alexandra Klein Rafaeli Lisa A. Brenner Nitsa Nacasch Milton L. Wainberg Ido Lurie Shlomo Mendlovic Yuval Neria |
| author_facet | Doron Amsalem Shilat Haim-Nachum Amit Lazarov Yossi Levi-Belz John C. Markowitz Maja Bergman Alexandra Klein Rafaeli Lisa A. Brenner Nitsa Nacasch Milton L. Wainberg Ido Lurie Shlomo Mendlovic Yuval Neria |
| author_sort | Doron Amsalem |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract On October 7, 2023, a large-scale attack in southern Israel and the subsequent war resulted in extensive loss of life and injuries, with many individuals experiencing traumatic losses, such as family members or close friends being killed or kidnapped. This study aims to longitudinally examine its effects on mental health, specifically, clinical symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We anticipated greater symptom severity among individuals who experienced traumatic loss, were forcibly displaced, or suffered income loss, as well as among women and members of ethnic minorities. This three-wave online survey study assessed mental health symptoms in a sample of 1052 individuals, aged 18–40, residing in conflict zones in Israel from February 2024 (day 1), through March 2024 (day 30), to May 2024 (day 90). Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD were measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Primary Care PTSD Screen (PC-PTSD). Individuals experiencing traumatic losses, forced displacement, or economic hardships, as well as females, consistently demonstrated higher rates of anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms compared to those without such experiences or to males, across all time points (F values ranged from 17.7 to 215.3, p < .001). For ethnic minorities (Arab and other), as compared to Jewish, anxiety and depression symptoms were higher at every time point (F = 8.3–97.1, p = .004 to < .001). This study highlights the urgent need for targeted mental health interventions in conflict zones, particularly for affected individuals. Further research should expand these findings to broader populations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5ac4fd2d6e784ee5b6479e7c2af85e6f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-5ac4fd2d6e784ee5b6479e7c2af85e6f2025-01-12T12:24:12ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-011511910.1038/s41598-024-84410-3The effects of war-related experiences on mental health symptoms of individuals living in conflict zones: a longitudinal studyDoron Amsalem0Shilat Haim-Nachum1Amit Lazarov2Yossi Levi-Belz3John C. Markowitz4Maja Bergman5Alexandra Klein Rafaeli6Lisa A. Brenner7Nitsa Nacasch8Milton L. Wainberg9Ido Lurie10Shlomo Mendlovic11Yuval Neria12Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric InstituteSchool of Social Work, Tel Aviv UniversitySchool of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv UniversityThe Lior Tsfaty Center for Suicide and Mental Pain Studies, Ruppin Academic CenterDepartment of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric InstituteDepartment of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric InstitutePsychological Services, Ben Gurion University of the NegevDepartments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Psychiatry, and Neurology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical CampusDivision of Psychiatry, Chaim Sheba Medical CenterDepartment of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric InstituteShalvata Mental Health CenterShalvata Mental Health CenterDepartment of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric InstituteAbstract On October 7, 2023, a large-scale attack in southern Israel and the subsequent war resulted in extensive loss of life and injuries, with many individuals experiencing traumatic losses, such as family members or close friends being killed or kidnapped. This study aims to longitudinally examine its effects on mental health, specifically, clinical symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We anticipated greater symptom severity among individuals who experienced traumatic loss, were forcibly displaced, or suffered income loss, as well as among women and members of ethnic minorities. This three-wave online survey study assessed mental health symptoms in a sample of 1052 individuals, aged 18–40, residing in conflict zones in Israel from February 2024 (day 1), through March 2024 (day 30), to May 2024 (day 90). Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD were measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Primary Care PTSD Screen (PC-PTSD). Individuals experiencing traumatic losses, forced displacement, or economic hardships, as well as females, consistently demonstrated higher rates of anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms compared to those without such experiences or to males, across all time points (F values ranged from 17.7 to 215.3, p < .001). For ethnic minorities (Arab and other), as compared to Jewish, anxiety and depression symptoms were higher at every time point (F = 8.3–97.1, p = .004 to < .001). This study highlights the urgent need for targeted mental health interventions in conflict zones, particularly for affected individuals. Further research should expand these findings to broader populations.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84410-3WarTerrorist attackAnxietyDepressionPTSDGender |
| spellingShingle | Doron Amsalem Shilat Haim-Nachum Amit Lazarov Yossi Levi-Belz John C. Markowitz Maja Bergman Alexandra Klein Rafaeli Lisa A. Brenner Nitsa Nacasch Milton L. Wainberg Ido Lurie Shlomo Mendlovic Yuval Neria The effects of war-related experiences on mental health symptoms of individuals living in conflict zones: a longitudinal study Scientific Reports War Terrorist attack Anxiety Depression PTSD Gender |
| title | The effects of war-related experiences on mental health symptoms of individuals living in conflict zones: a longitudinal study |
| title_full | The effects of war-related experiences on mental health symptoms of individuals living in conflict zones: a longitudinal study |
| title_fullStr | The effects of war-related experiences on mental health symptoms of individuals living in conflict zones: a longitudinal study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effects of war-related experiences on mental health symptoms of individuals living in conflict zones: a longitudinal study |
| title_short | The effects of war-related experiences on mental health symptoms of individuals living in conflict zones: a longitudinal study |
| title_sort | effects of war related experiences on mental health symptoms of individuals living in conflict zones a longitudinal study |
| topic | War Terrorist attack Anxiety Depression PTSD Gender |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84410-3 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT doronamsalem theeffectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT shilathaimnachum theeffectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT amitlazarov theeffectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT yossilevibelz theeffectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT johncmarkowitz theeffectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT majabergman theeffectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT alexandrakleinrafaeli theeffectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT lisaabrenner theeffectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT nitsanacasch theeffectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT miltonlwainberg theeffectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT idolurie theeffectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT shlomomendlovic theeffectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT yuvalneria theeffectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT doronamsalem effectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT shilathaimnachum effectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT amitlazarov effectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT yossilevibelz effectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT johncmarkowitz effectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT majabergman effectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT alexandrakleinrafaeli effectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT lisaabrenner effectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT nitsanacasch effectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT miltonlwainberg effectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT idolurie effectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT shlomomendlovic effectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy AT yuvalneria effectsofwarrelatedexperiencesonmentalhealthsymptomsofindividualslivinginconflictzonesalongitudinalstudy |