The 2023-2024 Israeli-Lebanese war has inflicted widespread trauma. On the front line, healthcare workers (HCWs) face psychological stressors, yet their mental health has received limited research. This study assesses the risk of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) development among Lebanese HCWs while exploring associations with sociodemographic and war-related factors.
A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Lebanese American University Medical Center-Rizk Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon, between December 2024 and June 2025. An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was completed by 370 HCWs and included sociodemographic characteristics, war-related exposures, and the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (PCL-5). A PCL-5 score ≥33 indicated an elevated risk of PTSS. Statistical analyses included independent-samples t-tests, ANOVA or Welch’s ANOVA, and Pearson correlation, with non-parametric sensitivity analyses performed as appropriate.
Among participants, 68 (18.4%) were at high PTSS risk. Higher PCL-5 scores were associated with female gender, the nursing profession, lower income, prior PTSD diagnosis, and direct war-related exposures, including displacement, personal injury, or loss of a relative. Income showed a significant negative correlation with PTSS severity. Among physicians, ophthalmologists exhibited the highest scores, correlating with the nature of injuries sustained during a mass bombardment on September 17, 2024.
Lebanese HCWs are at high risk for PTSD following the war, highlighting the urgent need for mental health interventions and support.
