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Aim <p>The long-term psychological impacts of the “Swords of Iron” war, which began in October 2023 in Israel, remain largely unknown. Our objectives were to compare the prevalence of poor mental health before and during the war between two independent samples and investigate associations between sociodemographic, health-related characteristics, and poor mental health.</p> Subject and methods <p>A cross-sectional national telephone survey on a representative sample of the general population aged ≥ 21 was conducted in 2022–2024 by the Israel Center for Disease Control, encompassing the period preceding and during the war. Mental health status was measured using the 5-item Mental Health Inventory, and a score of ≤ 60 was defined as poor mental health. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the associations between sociodemographic and health-related factors and poor mental health.</p> Results <p>A total of 5433 participants completed the survey with a mean age of 54.8 ± 15.5. Of respondents, 17.8% reported poor mental health before the war, and this proportion significantly doubled (33.6%) during the war period (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.001). Poor mental health before and during the war was associated with female sex, Arab ethnicity, lack of physical activity, and lower frequency of family meals. During the war, poor mental health was associated with higher education, smoking, and increased fast-food consumption.</p> Conclusion <p>The findings indicate a decline in mental health among the Israeli population during the war. They emphasize the importance of accounting for these needs and addressing modifiable health behaviors, such as physical activity, smoking, and dietary habits, to foster resilience in times of conflict.</p>

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The long-term effects of an active war situation on mental health—findings from a national cross-sectional survey

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月23日

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  • Shir Ben-Yaish,
  • Michal Bromberg,
  • Niva Bessudo-Manor,
  • Lital Keinan-Boker,
  • Dvora Frankenthal

摘要

Aim

The long-term psychological impacts of the “Swords of Iron” war, which began in October 2023 in Israel, remain largely unknown. Our objectives were to compare the prevalence of poor mental health before and during the war between two independent samples and investigate associations between sociodemographic, health-related characteristics, and poor mental health.

Subject and methods

A cross-sectional national telephone survey on a representative sample of the general population aged ≥ 21 was conducted in 2022–2024 by the Israel Center for Disease Control, encompassing the period preceding and during the war. Mental health status was measured using the 5-item Mental Health Inventory, and a score of ≤ 60 was defined as poor mental health. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the associations between sociodemographic and health-related factors and poor mental health.

Results

A total of 5433 participants completed the survey with a mean age of 54.8 ± 15.5. Of respondents, 17.8% reported poor mental health before the war, and this proportion significantly doubled (33.6%) during the war period (P < 0.001). Poor mental health before and during the war was associated with female sex, Arab ethnicity, lack of physical activity, and lower frequency of family meals. During the war, poor mental health was associated with higher education, smoking, and increased fast-food consumption.

Conclusion

The findings indicate a decline in mental health among the Israeli population during the war. They emphasize the importance of accounting for these needs and addressing modifiable health behaviors, such as physical activity, smoking, and dietary habits, to foster resilience in times of conflict.