Citation

Harwood-Gross A, Brom D, Schramm-Yavin S, Fruchter E, Vermetten E. Eur. J. Psychotraumatol. 2024; 15(1): e2375140.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, The Author(s), Publisher Co-action Publishing)

DOI

10.1080/20008066.2024.2375140

PMID

38984725

PMCID

PMC11238647

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Israel is currently under a state of continued unrest and state of war. There has been an influx of financial aid to treat the mental health fallout both from within Israel and abroad. Despite increased research into resilience, treatment and wide-scale interventions, there is a concern that this is not significantly influencing mental health aid allocation.

OBJECTIVE: This letter to the editor aims to describe the current situation and address current difficulties in regard to the relevant literature from recent conflicts and national traumatic events.

METHOD: A consortium of national and international trauma experts pooled together their knowledge to produce a working statement based on evidence from clinical and research findings.

RESULTS: As opposed to wider, short-term psychological interventions which have limited long-term proven efficacy, lessons from previous war zones, wide-scale exposure to trauma and current war-torn countries highlight the importance of targeting and assessment, addressing barriers to care, strengthening existing systems and promoting community resilience and care.

CONCLUSIONS: In addition to acute care, funding should be allocated to long-term care, enhancing treatment accessibility and community follow-up and additionally support long-term research to assess effectiveness and contribute to international knowledge.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Funding; PTSD; Mental Health; Israel; war; mental health care; Warfare; *Mental Health Services/economics; trastorno de estrés postraumático; atención de salud mental; crisis actual; financiamiento; guerra; mass trauma; ongoing crisis; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/therapy; Trauma masivo