Abstract

Abstract

Attitudes toward people with disabilities reflect the level of moral and cultural development of societies, their cohesion, and their ability to coexist harmoniously. Studying students’ attitudes toward wheelchair users in the context of the armed conflict in Ukraine is an important step in exploring the sociodemographic determinants of those attitudes and the evolution of social awareness among young people. The research was conducted twice, in 2022 and 2024, covering 1,453 and 986 Ukrainian students, respectively, from medical, humanities, and social science programmes at universities in Kyiv, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Lviv. The method used was a diagnostic survey with a standardised questionnaire, the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Toward Persons With Disabilities (MAS-UA). Results are presented in subscales, with higher values indicating more negative attitudes toward individuals with disabilities. The results indicate significant differences in the first subscale of the MAS (39.94 ± 5.97 in 2022 vs. 33.76 ± 10.07 in 2024), suggesting an increase in positive emotional-evaluative attitudes in the later study. The overall assessment of social attitudes has also improved (79.22 ± 11.98 vs. 74.02 ± 18.31). The cognitive and behavioural aspects of attitudes are more stable and change relatively slowly. The armed conflict has triggered the mobilisation of the Ukrainian youth to increase efforts for the benefit of people with physical disabilities. The sociodemographic ‘profile’ plays a role in shaping emotional attitudes and the overall MAS score. Older students, women, those living in large cities, married individuals, students in medical fields, and those who identify with a religion exhibit a more positive attitude. The increase in positive emotions, reduction in tension, stress, helplessness, and shame indicate an improvement in mental well-being. However, a decline has been noted in feelings of relaxation, calmness, and composure. A daily visual or direct contact with people with physical disabilities has significantly improved affective attitudes, highlighting the importance of direct interactions in fostering empathy and understanding. 

Із часу здобуття Україною незалежності, у нашій державі не приділяли належної уваги медичній реабілітації. Ця галузь медицини, спрямована на відновлення або поліпшення функціональних здібностей людей, які перенесли фізичні або психологічні травми, була досить обмежена і не мала системного підходу через різні обставини, зокрема через брак розуміння її важливості як складової здоров’я нації. Однак повномасштабна війна значно прискорила процес формування національної системи реабілітації. 

Since its independence, rehabilitation in Ukraine has been constrained and lacked a systematic approach due to various factors, including insufficient recognition of its significance. Nevertheless, the full-scale war greatly hastened the development of a national rehabilitation system. The increasing demand for medical care for numerous victims of the Russo-Ukrainian war has accelerated the development of infrastructure for physical and psychological support, prioritizing medical rehabilitation in the healthcare system.

Background: Walking as a method of functional recovery is used to treat many diseases. It is an accessible, natural and widespread form of
physical activity. Terrenkur is defined as distance, time, and angle dosed hiking; a method of training and treating patients with cardiovascular
diseases. One alternative method of rehabilitation is Nordic Walking which leads to increasing both the number of muscles involved in
movement and physical and aerobic load.

BACKGROUND: Since its start, the war in Ukraine has taken a devastating toll on the country's children. As of now, 508 children have been killed and 1,135 injured. Besides, 13 children suffered from sexual violence, and 19,546 went missing, were deported and/or forcibly relocated, with 386 eventually returning to Ukraine. The repercussions of these harrowing experiences have had profound effects on the overall well-being and mental health of children, along with their access to medical care and education. Simultaneously, Ukraine has witnessed rapid changes in its rehabilitation system due to the ongoing war.