The aim of the current hospital partnership project between the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) and the Odesa Regional Medical Center for Mental Health is to provide low-threshold psychological support for people affected by the war in Ukraine. The two partners are thus expanding their cooperation arrangement launched in 2023.\r
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Context\r
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Up to ten million people in Ukraine are estimated to be at risk of mental health problems as a result of the war, which could lead to acute stress, anxiety, depression, drug use and post-traumatic stress disorders. Many of these people do not have access to conventional psychotherapeutic or psychiatric treatment. This lack of treatment options is particularly serious for children. Around 40 per cent of people working in health care also demonstrate symptoms of depression or anxiety.\r
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Ukraine’s health service cannot meet the need for therapy due to reasons including financial constraints, a lack of specialists and an outdated focus on inpatient care.\r
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Activities\r
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-\tDeveloping sections for COGITO, a smartphone app, on the topics of anxiety and trauma and translating them into Ukrainian\r
-\tTranslating COGITO Kids, a freely available, simplified version of the COGITO app for children and young people\r
-\tTranslating the handbook on metacognitive training for psychosis (MCT), which contains practical tips on holding treatment sessions, and adapting it to the specific context\r
-\tHolding online workshops to train trainers on MCT in the Ukrainian health care system\r
-\tImplementing social media campaigns on COGITO, COGITO Kids and MCT for medical professionals and people affected\r
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Results\r
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At least 2,000 adults and 500 children will be able to access the COGITO self-help app as a result of the project. In addition, 50 people working in the health care system will have improved their knowledge of MCT, from which at least 200 patients will be able to benefit. \r