Publications by authors named "Iryna Frankova"

Providing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support interventions (MHPSS) for forcibly displaced Ukrainians in Central and Eastern Europe poses numerous challenges due to various socio-cultural and infrastructural factors. This qualitative study explored implementation barriers reported by service providers of in-person and digital MHPSS for Ukrainian refugees displaced to Poland, Romania and Slovakia due to the war. In addition, the study aimed to generate recommendations to overcome these barriers.

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant mental health challenges, particularly for vulnerable populations, including non-binary gender individuals. The COMET international study aimed to investigate specific risk factors for clinical depression or distress during the pandemic, also in these special populations.

Methods: Chi-square tests were used for initial screening to select only those variables which would show an initial significance.

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Background: The prevalence of medical illnesses is high among patients with psychiatric disorders. The current study aimed to investigate multi-comorbidity in patients with psychiatric disorders in comparison to the general population. Secondary aims were to investigate factors associated with metabolic syndrome and treatment appropriateness of mental disorders.

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The full-scale escalation of Russia's war against Ukraine in 2022 created a surge of mental health issues, requiring urgent, evidence-based interventions to reduce trauma and mitigate stress. Reflecting recommendations from leading specialists in the field, Ukrainian mental health professionals sought to develop appropriate skills and knowledge for working in wartime through advanced training programs. This study aimed to investigate the experiences of Ukrainian mental health professionals having completed advanced training in mental health topics in wartime.

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As the premier global traumatic stress society, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) has an important role to play in educating and raising awareness about the consequences of traumatic events, such as the war in Ukraine. On November 12, 2022, during its 38th annual meeting, the ISTSS hosted an invited Presidential Panel, chaired by Ananda Amstadter during her term as ISTSS President, that brought together trauma experts Peter Ventevogel, Marit Sijbrandij, Vitalii Klymchuck, Iryna Frankova, and Angela Nickerson to highlight how traumatic stress professionals can assist individuals affected by the war in Ukraine. The present paper summarizes the key points from the panel and discusses future challenges anticipated for people affected by the war.

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Many European countries have seen increasing refugee populations and asylum applications over the past decade. Forcibly displaced persons (FDPs) are known to be at higher risk of developing mental disorders and are in need of specific care. Thus, specific training for mental health professionals is recommended by international health organizations.

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Article Synopsis
  • A large international study involving 55,589 participants from 40 countries was conducted to assess the impact of COVID-19 on mental health, revealing that 17.80% of participants experienced probable depression and 16.71% reported distress.
  • The research indicated that individuals with a history of mental disorders showed significantly higher rates of depression, with the highest risk linked to conditions like Bipolar disorder and self-harm, and found that belief in conspiracy theories was prevalent among participants.
  • The study developed a model demonstrating the connection between anxiety, distress, and the progression to probable depression and suicidality, suggesting that addressing modifiable factors could be beneficial in improving mental health outcomes.
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Most of the recent studies indicated the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) are increasing after the COVID pandemic around the world. Bo et al. reported PTSS prevalence of 96.

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Recently, there has been an increase in reports of hikikomori around the globe, and Ukraine is not an exception. The development of hikikomori is often spurred by a history of aversive or traumatic childhood experience, for example, dysfunctions between parents or between a parent and a child (ambivalent attachment) and difficulties at school (peer rejection). Previously described models of hikikomori development mostly were based on research of mixed cohorts of patients (with and without psychiatric comorbidity).

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Purpose: There is disregard in the scientific literature for the evaluation of psychiatric in-patient care as rated directly by patients. In this context, we aimed to explore satisfaction of people treated in mental health in-patient facilities. The project was a part of the Young Psychiatrist Program by the Association for the Improvement of Mental Health Programmes.

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