Largest Study on Journalists’ Mental Health and War in Ukraine Published
2402 Foundation (Daily Humanity) has published a comprehensive study on mental health and resilience among media professionals in Ukraine, conducted between November 2024 and March 2025. The goal of the research was not only to record levels of stress or burnout but also to gain a deeper understanding of the psychological challenges journalists face, the resources and habits they use to maintain resilience, and how these are connected to professional workload and working in wartime conditions.
The main findings of the study show that 85% of respondents reported experiencing professional burnout. This indicates a serious and systemic issue that needs to be addressed not only through individual support but also through changes in organizational approaches to mental health in newsrooms.
The most common causes of burnout included chronic overwork, emotionally heavy content, loss of sense of purpose, lack of support, and toxic workplace relationships. These factors generate high levels of stress, reducing both job performance and the mental well-being of journalists.
While 80% of journalists acknowledge the importance of self-care, only 10% practice it daily. Meanwhile, 48% engage in self-care only occasionally, reducing its effectiveness as a tool to combat chronic stress. Only 30% practice self-care several times a week, indicating the need for a more systematic approach to mental health in the media profession.
“The results of the study highlight the need to create a more comprehensive system of support and self-care that can reduce the levels of burnout among journalists and improve their mental health,” — commented researcher Olha Khan. “Based on this data, we have developed a number of support formats, including the HEMART training, which focuses on building resilience skills in wartime conditions and has already seen high demand.”
You can access the full report on mental health and resilience among journalists in Ukraine on the Safe&Sane platform.
This report was prepared by the Daily Humanity team in collaboration with Lauren Walsh, professor at New York University and director of the Gallatin Photojournalism Intensive. Olha Khan, mental health coordinator, Master in Social Psychology, and expert in global mental health and emergency support (MHPSS), conducted the analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data. Kateryna Sergatskova, executive director of Daily Humanity, provided supervision and strategic guidance for the study. The technical and organizational implementation of the research was led by Larisa Kalik, project manager.
You can also explore a study we conducted in collaboration with the Razumkov Centre, aimed at broadening the understanding of mental health during wartime — this time focusing on Ukrainians who regularly consume news. The findings offer deeper insights into how media coverage affects the emotional well-being of the audience and highlight the importance of responsible reporting.
