Health recovery practices of the Ukrainian civilian population during the war
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31108/3.2026.10.1.14Abstract
The article analyses health-restorative practices used by Ukrainian civilians during wartime. The prolonged war, constant uncertainty, and the absence of a clear boundary between frontline and rear areas create new stress conditions that significantly affect people’s physical and psychological well-being. In this context, the study aims to identify the most widespread practices of health-restorative self-care used by civilians to maintain and recover their well-being.
The research conducted in 2025 combined qualitative and quantitative methods and included two stages. At the first stage, written auto-narratives of civilians describing their experience of self-preservation during wartime were collected (N=328) and analysed using descriptive qualitative analysis. Based on the narrative findings, an authorial questionnaire was developed and administered online to a broader sample of respondents aged 17–44 (N=502).
The results demonstrate that civilians actively use a variety of restorative practices aimed at stabilizing their physical and psychological condition. The most common practices include rest, sleep, physical activity, and walks in nature (78.3%), communication with family and friends (75.3%), and entertainment activities such as humour, films, or games (62.2%). Creative hobbies and leisure activities (61.4%) and self-regulation or self-care practices (41.6%) also play an important role. Professional psychological or medical assistance and spiritual practices are used less frequently.
Statistical analysis indicates that different wartime threats are associated with specific patterns of restorative behaviour. The findings suggest that civilians do not remain passive in the face of wartime stressors; instead, they actively mobilize available personal, social, and cultural resources to maintain psychological stability and resilience.
Keywords: war-related threats, self-healing practices, self-care, civilian population, psychological recovery
Accepted: 06.03.2026
Reviewed: 21.04.2026
Published: 20.05.2026
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Copyright (c) 2026 Тетяна Титаренко
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