About Olena Yelizarova
I am a Leading Researcher at the State Institution “Marzieiev Institute for Public Health of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine”. A physician by training, with specializations in medical genetics and medical psychology, I work at the intersection of public health, child and adolescent health, mental health, and population-based research. My research focuses on how children, families, schools, and communities adapt to prolonged social disruption, including the COVID-19 pandemic and russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, with particular attention to community-level mental health support, pathways to care, and the ways families recognize and respond to children’s distress.
Recent Comments
Ms Olena and cols
One of the strongest aspects of this work is the distinction between symptom recognition and recognition of the need for professional support. In health systems, we often assume that identifying distress naturally leads to care-seeking, but the pathway is far more complex.
The concept of the “Symptom–Need Interpretation Gap” is particularly relevant because it highlights how access to care depends not only on service availability, but also on trust, stigma, cultural interpretation, family perception, and the structure of referral networks.
This discussion extends far beyond wartime Ukraine. Many health systems face similar challenges: mental health becomes increasingly visible, yet the pathways connecting schools, families, primary care, and specialized support remain fragmented or fragile.
An important contribution of this paper is showing that children’s mental health cannot be understood only at the individual level. It is deeply connected to community structures, social support, institutional coordination, and the ability of systems to transform recognition into effective access to care.
Excellent and highly relevant work.
Dear Dr Rodrigues Filho,
Thank you very much for your thoughtful and generous comment. It means a lot to know that the main message of our work resonated with you.
I am sincerely grateful for your words and for reading our work so attentively.
Olena