Saturday, May 4, 2024
5/4/2024
Summary/Abstract Millions of Ukrainians (both civilian and military) had been recently exposed to combat/war-related trauma. The numbers of casualties are staggering. Based on UN data, even during the early, and limited, conflict in Ukraine (2014-2021), it had been estimated that, 32% of individuals suffered from PTSD, 22% Depression, and 17% anxiety, thus it is projected that hundreds of thousands of persons are likely to develop debilitating trauma/stress-related mental health sequela. At the same time, the situation with mental health care in Ukraine is critical. The country was under communist rule for 70 years, leading to chronic underfunding of health care in general and mental health in particular. Even before Russian invasion, Ukraine had the highest levels of psychological distress among former Soviet states, and there almost no mental health professionals trained in evidence-based care for trauma, depression, anxiety, and even less so, investigators who can disseminate, implement, and assess the fidelity, acceptability, and efficacy of these treatments. Thus building, trauma care research, and implementation are so critical right now. In collaboration with leading psychologists and physician- scientists in trauma care in Ukraine, and drawing on the expertise of US collaborators – world-renown experts in research methodology, stress/trauma and evidence-based care, this project will implement a set of trauma research training experiences. The goal is to transfer of knowledge pertaining to trauma epidemiology, pathophysiology, research methods, and implementation of interventions that build upon that scientific base. In the latter years of the program, we will mentor and collaborate in the design and pilot testing of research projects that ultimately will have the potential for national dissemination. The proposed program involves collaboration among faculty from 5 different US Universities (TAMU, UThealth, University of Michigan, Emory and MUSC), National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA), and Zelenskaya Initiative office for Mental Health reform implementation. To implement a set of interlocking training experiences which will include the following: (a) Yearly workshops (~ 70 attendees) held in Western Ukraine, for post-doctoral clinical scientists (b) ongoing continuous education with Experts from US and Ukraine, including monthly online sessions, directed reading and supervision (c) Three month-long intensive Summer School, for 16 advanced and committed Summer Fellows to get in-depth training in research methodology and work with mentors in areas of common interest, (d) In-country research projects that Summer Fellows will develop, with the support of long term U.S. mentors, (e) Creation of a Research network comprised from Research teams led by Summer Fellows, and supported by the other trainees
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