The impact of the war in Ukraine on the well-being of German medical students: a mixed-methods study.

Marie Stelter, Michaela Zupanic, Angelika Taetz-Harrer, Julia Nitsche, Arndt Büssing, Jan P Ehlers

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Marie StelterSchool of Didactics and Educational Research in Health Care, Witten/Herdecke University, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 58455, Witten, Germany. mariekathrinstelter@gmail.com.

Michaela ZupanicSchool of Didactics and Educational Research in Health Care, Witten/Herdecke University, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 58455, Witten, Germany.

Angelika Taetz-HarrerSchool of Personal and Interpersonal Skills training in Health Care, Witten/Herdecke University, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 58455, Witten, Germany.

Julia NitscheSchool of Didactics and Educational Research in Health Care, Witten/Herdecke University, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 58455, Witten, Germany.

Arndt BüssingSchool of Integrative Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 58455, Witten, Germany.

Jan P EhlersSchool of Didactics and Educational Research in Health Care, Witten/Herdecke University, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 58455, Witten, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The ongoing aggression war by Russia in Ukraine underscores the need to explore the impact of geopolitical crises on students' well-being within the system university. Previous studies have raised concern regarding rising mental health issues among students, exacerbated by war-related stressors. The effects extend to non-war-involved countries on several levels, with heightened anxiety and fear reported for students. In this study, the affectedness of well-being, perceived stress and work engagement among German medicine students is surveyed in a cross-sectional multi-methods study before and after the initial war occurrences in Ukraine were reported. Results show lessened well-being and increase perceived stress, but non significantly affected work engagement. The students report several demands and resources to cope with stressors and maintain ongoing study motivation and capability. By understanding the personal repercussions of systemic crises, this study seeks to identify longitudinal support needs for medical students navigating uncertain times.

Indexed as

Stress, PsychologicalStudents, MedicalWarfareAdaptation, PsychologicalAdultAnxietyCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleGermanyHumansMaleMental HealthSurveys and QuestionnairesUkraineYoung AdultMedical studentsResilienceSocial supportStress perceptionWar eventsWork engagement

Identifiers

PMID40764367

DOI10.1038/s41598-025-86861-8

PMCPMC12325977

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LicenceCC BY

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.