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The role of hygienic, demographic, and social determinants in the formation of occupational morbidity in Ukraine in relation to employment and labor market dynamics before and during wartime

The role of hygienic, demographic, and social determinants in the formation of occupational morbidity in Ukraine in relation to employment and labor market dynamics before and during wartime

ISSN 2223-6775 Ukrainian journal of occupational health Vol.21, No 2, 2025

https://doi.org/10.33573/ujoh2025.02.91

The Role of Hygienic, Demographic, and Social Determinants in the Formation of Occupational Morbidity in Ukraine in Relation to Employment and Labor Market Dynamics Before and During Wartime

Nagorna¹, V. Kalnysh¹, E. Gavadzyuk2, M. Radionov2, O. Kompaniiets³

1 State Institution "Kundiiev Institute of Occupational Health of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine", Kyiv, Ukraine.

2 State Labor Service of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine

3 Ukrainian Military Medical Academy, Kyiv, Ukraine

Full article (PDF), UKR

Introduction.

The detection, registration, and analysis of occupational morbidity (OM) remains a pressing issue, especially under conditions where regulatory frameworks, population structure, employment levels, and diagnostic procedures have all undergone significant changes due to wartime factors, including internal and external migration.

Purpose

To examine the trends and characteristics of occupational morbidity in Ukraine during the pre-war period (prior to 2014) and throughout the full-scale war (2022–2024), within the context of martial law.

Materials and Methods.

The study is based on a continuous statistical sampling of all newly registered cases of OM in Ukraine from 2011 to 2024, considering military, hygienic, and social aspects. Data were sourced from the State Labor Service of Ukraine and the Pension Fund of Ukraine. Standard methods of sanitary statistics and descriptive epidemiological analysis were used for data processing.

Results.

The analysis revealed three distinct periods: 2011–2013 (pre-war), 2014–2021 (early war and occupation of Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions), and 2022–2024 (full-scale war and martial law). Compared to the pre-war period, the number of registered OM cases decreased 3.3 times due to underreporting, enterprise closures, a decline in industrial employment, population migration, and the collapse of medical infrastructure. In 2024, no new cases of OM were reported in 12 regions of Ukraine.

Conclusions.

From 2011 to 2024, socio-economic and demographic transformations, migration shifts, labor market changes, and disruptions in medical care significantly influenced OM indicators. In the post-war period, recovery programs must support the expansion of new employment models, which requires updates to labor legislation to accommodate flexible employment while mitigating related risks. Emphasis should be placed on ensuring decent working conditions and developing medical and social strategies to protect and enhance workers’ health.

Keywords: occupational diseases, martial law, labor market, hygiene, social determinants

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