Study of the incidence and signs of post-traumatic stress disorder at the stage of primary medical care in military personnel and forcibly displaced people during a full-scale invasion

Background. War and its consequences not only dominate the collective and national consciousness of every citizen but also, as a stressor, lead to emotional tension and exhaustion. They are a major factor in stress-associated disorders, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The diagnosis of PTSD is based on the presence of at least one symptom: intrusion, avoidance, negative mood and cognitive impairments, hyperreactivity. The purpose was to investigate the prevalence and severity of probable PTSD among patients visiting primary health care (PHC) facilities, military personnel, and forcibly displaced people (FDP) using various questionnaires. Materials and methods. A total of 90 individuals (46 men and 44 women, average age 39.65 ± 13.93 years) were examined. Participants were divided into three groups (30 individuals each): group I — military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine receiving treatment at the Municipal Non-Profit Enterprise “Vinnytsia City Clinical Emergency Hospital”; group II — internally displaced persons who are forced to live in Vinnytsia (FDP); group III — controls (civilian residents of Vinnytsia visiting PHC facilities). All respondents were surveyed using the Spielberg-Hanin Anxiety Scale, assessed for the likelihood of PTSD using a PTSD screening questionnaire approved by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine (Order No. 1265 dated February 23, 2024), and with the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Results. Probable PTSD was more frequently detected among FDP (83.33 % on the PTSD screening scale and 56.67 % on the PCL-5) compared to military personnel (53.33 and 40.0 %, respectively) and civilians (10.0 and 3.33 %, respectively). Among FDP, symptoms of avoidance (76.67 %), negative cognition (76.67 %), and hyperarousal (88.33 %) were predominant, emphasizing the significant role of emotional responses and their potential impact on other PTSD symptoms. Correlations (p < 0.05) were found between age, gender, and the score on the PCL-5. Conclusions. Probable PTSD can be successfully detected using any of the available tools (PTSD screening, PCL-5) with almost equal frequency, allowing for the identification of individuals who should undergo additional examination for PTSD confirmation and subsequent treatment of this condition.