Ukraine war: Nearly one in three civilians meets criteria for post-traumatic stress, study finds

A representative national survey published on September 29, 2026, in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology found that 31.2% of adults in Ukrainian government-controlled areas meet criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder or its complex form. Classical PTSD affects 25.2% of participants, compared with 6% for complex PTSD; not being in a relationship was the only factor specifically associated with the complex form. Researchers from King’s College London, the University of Manchester and Berlin’s ZOiS conducted the study, whose findings could help guide health planning. The researchers noted that the estimates are based on symptoms reported by participants, which may affect responses.