Studying quality of life indicators among combatants of the special military operation

Introduction. Activity in extreme conditions can potentially lead to disruptions in psychological adaptation, reduce the body’s functional reserves, and decrease the combat effectiveness of military personnel. The study aim is to assess the quality of life indicators among combatants of the special military operation and identify targets for psychocorrective interventions. Methods. A total of 279 combatants of the special military operation presented with mild to moderate injuries were examined in a field triage hospital. The average age was 34 years, with the length of special military operation service of approximately 9 months. The quality of life was assessed using a specific questionnaire of 30 statements regarding satisfaction with their life, military professional and family relationships, health status, and health saving behavior. Combatants were asked to assess their attitude to each statement by indicating the score on a 7 cm horizontal line with the earlier indicated starting and end points. The intervals were measured in millimeters and assigned scores, with an average score of 35 points. Psychological adaptation parameters were identified using the Combat-Related Mississippi Posttraumatic Stress Scale, while response bias was measured using 10 honesty assessment questions from the Standardized Multifactor Personality Inventory. Results and analysis. The average quality of life satisfaction score among combatants included 38 points: 2.2 % reported low satisfaction, 90.3 % reported moderate satisfaction, and 7.5 % reported high satisfaction. Among the quality of life parameters, health status indicators ranked top in significance followed by psychological family well-being and family relations; military professional relationship stood top three, followed by health saving behavior, and life satisfaction ranked top five. The average Mississippi Scale score was 80 points, indicating normal psychological adaptation among the combatants. Potential psychological adaptation disturbances were found in 21 % of cases, including the 4.9 % risk of post-traumatic stress disorder development. Quality of life assessments showed low negative, though statistically significant correlation with the length of special military operation service and the Combat-Related Mississippi Scale score. Conclusion. The designed questionnaire for quality of life satisfaction assessment allows to evaluate the psychological adaptation in combatants, as well as the extense of gained experience. These measures might be useful to identify the targets for psychocorrective interventions.