The impact of wartime factors on harmful habits among the adult population depending on their psycho-emotional state

Abstract

Aim: To analyse patterns of alcohol and tobacco consumption among adult Ukrainians, including variations based on their psycho-emotional state, using an anonymous survey conducted during martial law. Materials and Methods: The study employed an online survey based on the “Study of Eating Behaviour and Health Status of the Ukrainian Population” questionnaire. The final sample comprised 1,101 adult Ukrainian respondents: 212 (19,3%) men and 889 (80,7%) women, with a mean age of 36 ± 13 years. Participants were divided into Group I (n = 400; 36,3%) – adults with probable PTSD, and Group II (n = 701; 63,7%) – without signs of probable PTSD. Results: The study revealed a high prevalence of harmful habits among adults (nearly 80,0% consumed alcohol and 30,0% smoked). Respondents with probable PTSD symptoms were 2.5 times more likely to report increased alcohol consumption (34,0% vs. 13,5%; p < 0,001) and 1.5 times more likely to report increased smoking (65,0% vs. 45,0%; p = 0.009) compared with those without such symptoms. Only 7,0% of alcohol consumers and 32,4% of regular smokers who had visited a doctor in the past year reported receiving advice to quit these habits. Conclusions: The onset of the full-scale war in Ukraine has negatively affected adult lifestyles, notably increasing alcohol and tobacco use. Most respondents with harmful habits reported not receiving medical advice on reducing or quitting them.