https://doi.org/10.33573/ujoh2024.04.266
1 "Military Medical Clinical Center of the Central Region, Vinnytsia"
2 SI “Kundiiev Institute of Occupational Health of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine», Kyiv
3 Ukrainian Military Medical Academy, Kyiv
4 Vinnytsia National Pirogov Medical University, Vinnytsia
Introduction:
Ongoing military operations have intensified the need for an effective rehabilitation system for Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel to restore functions impaired by wounds, injuries, and diseases. The primary objective of medical rehabilitation is to preserve and restore health, making comprehensive rehabilitation a priority for military medical institutions. The effectiveness of rehabilitation depends on multiple factors, including the adaptive potential of service members, which is influenced by both medical and biographical characteristics. Establishing a modern rehabilitation framework is a key aspect of Ukraine’s Military Medical Doctrine, ensuring long-term well-being for military personnel and their reintegration into society.
Objective
To identify patterns of effective recovery among military personnel by evaluating their health status and individual biographical characteristics.
Materials and Methods:
The study examined 101 military personnel aged 20–57 years who received inpatient rehabilitation at the Military Medical Clinical Center of the Central Region in 2024. Participants were categorized into two age groups for comparative analysis. The assessment of adaptive potential considered clinical diagnoses, biographical data, and leukocyte blood count indicators. Pearson’s correlation coefficient (for parametric data) and the gamma correlation coefficient (for nominal data) were used to analyze relationships between health status and biographical characteristics. Statistical analysis was performed using STATISTICA 13.3.
Results:
Adaptive potential was evaluated based on leukocyte blood count data at the beginning and end of the rehabilitation period. Findings revealed that 51.5% of participants demonstrated satisfactory adaptation potential after rehabilitation; 40.6% retained unsatisfactory adaptation potential despite rehabilitation efforts; while 7.9% experienced a deterioration in adaptive potential post-rehabilitation. The variability in recovery efficiency suggests a strong influence of combat-related stress, with prolonged exposure to life-threatening conditions contributing to impaired adaptation. These findings underscore the need for enhanced rehabilitation strategies, including more effective medical interventions and optimized rehabilitation protocols. Age-based analysis further revealed that among participants <40 years old, 40.4% showed satisfactory adaptation, while 59.6% retained unsatisfactory adaptation potential. In the ≥40 years group, 61.1% had a positive adaptation effect, while only 38.9% exhibited unsatisfactory adaptation. These results indicate that younger service members (<40 years) experienced greater combat-related stress and exhibited slower recovery compared to older personnel (≥40 years). This highlights the need for age-specific rehabilitation approaches that account for differences in combat exposure and recovery capacity. Analysis of leukocyte blood parameters further revealed that 48.5% of rehabilitated personnel exhibited a low level of adaptive potential, reinforcing the necessity for improved rehabilitation protocols.
Conclusions:
This study identified key relationships between health status, age, and biographical factors affecting rehabilitation outcomes among military personnel. Findings highlight the impact of combat-related stress on adaptation potential, particularly among younger service members, and emphasize the need for targeted rehabilitation strategies. These insights provide a foundation for optimizing rehabilitation programs in military medical institutions, enhancing recovery effectiveness, and ensuring long-term health preservation.
Keywords: rehabilitation assistance, adaptive potential, military personnel, biographical characteristics, effectiveness assessment, recovery, age differences
References