The use of 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in Ukrainian refugees: translation and validation study of the Ukrainian version

Abstract

Following the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the well-being of millions of Ukrainians has been jeopardised. This study aims to translate and test the psychometric features of the Ukrainian version of the General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12). The study included Ukrainian refugees housed in Verona (Italy) between November/2022 and February/2023. The Ukrainian translation was obtained through a ‘forward-backward’ translation. Questionnaire was completed by 141 refugees (females: 78.7%). Median age was 36 years (IQR 23–43). Individuals with a score suggestive of psychological distress were 97 (68.8%). Cronbach’s coefficient was 0.84 (0.95CI 0.80–0.88). According to confirmatory factor analysis, both single- (modelB1) and two-factor (model B2) structures with bimodal scoring method fitted the data satisfactorily. The two factors of model B2 had a 0.88 correlation. Pearson coefficient showed a positive significant correlation between the GHQ-12 and International Trauma Questionnaire scores (ρ = 0.53, 0.95CI 0.40–0.64, p < 0.001). The GHQ-12 Ukrainian translation showed good psychometric features being a reliable and valid instrument to assess Ukrainian refugees’ general well-being.

“I Felt a Sense of Mission during Moments of Crisis”: Mental Health Professionals’ Perspectives on Their Initial Treatment of Evacuees during the Israel–Hamas Conflict

“…These individuals, referred to as evacuees, are forced to leave their homes in a hurry to seek refuge from impending crises [ 3 ]. This form of evacuation can have profound and enduring psychological consequences, with evacuees frequently recounting experiences fraught with distress and trauma [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Their traumatic exposure is correlated with a significant uptick in mental health disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among evacuees, effectively doubling the rates observed within the general populace [ 7 ].…”