Rescuers at Risk: Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Police Officers, Fire Fighters, Ambulance Personnel, and Emergency and Psychiatric Nurses

Emergency personnel and rescue workers may be at a risk of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) due to exposure to trauma and work-related stressors. Though rescuers of different professions are often engaged in the same type of emergency, they have different tasks and responsibilities and receive different training in coping with traumatic events and stress; hence, we speculated that the salience of identified risk factors for PTSS vary across their respective professions. The present cross-sectional survey aimed to identify influencing variables on PTSS, well-being, and suicidal ideation that can act differently across professions of rescue workers and emergency personnel. In this anonymous online study, data from 1,002 rescue workers and emergency personnel in Switzerland, were collected: 499 police officers, 239 firefighters, 97 ambulance personnel, and 85 emergency and 82 psychiatric nurses. PTSS, coping strategies, well-being, suicidal ideation, previously experienced and work-related trauma, and self-efficacy were measured and analyzed using multiple regression and structural equation modeling (SEM). The prevalence of suspected posttraumatic stress disorder varied across the professions, ranged from 8% (firefighters) to 22% (psychiatric nurses), and was associated with psychological strain and suicidal ideation. The SEM showed that dysfunctional coping strategies, self-efficacy, previously experienced and work-related trauma, years on job, and female sex explained up to 78% of PTSS and that PTSS itself explained up to 68% of the psychological strain experienced in the different professions. Independent of the profession, dysfunctional coping such as alcohol use, avoidance, and distraction, as well as work-related trauma were the most robust predictors of PTSS. However, while self-efficacy was a risk factor for police officers, firefighters and ambulance personnel, it was a protective factor for emergency and psychiatric nurses. Furthermore, female sex was only a risk factor for ambulance personnel and emergency nurses. In agreement with prior research, emergency personnel and rescuers exhibited enhanced prevalence of PTSS and suspected PTSD, leading to significant psychological strain and suicidal ideation. However, risk factors varied across the professions. Thus, the development of profession-specific trainings to improve self-efficacy and coping with work-related stressors to reduce PTSS, and enhance quality of life, is needed for individuals in such high-risk professions.Clinical Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov Nr. NCT03842553.

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Rescuers at risk: Posttraumatic stress symptoms differ among police officers, fire fighters, ambulance personnel, and emergency and psychiatric nurses

10.31219/osf.io/8c9xa ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Simon Schwab

Keyword(s):

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Police Officers ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychiatric Nurses ◽

Psychological Strain ◽

Rescue Workers ◽

Work Related ◽

Emergency Personnel

Emergency personnel and rescue workers may be at a risk of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) due to exposure to trauma and work-related stressors. Salient predictors for the development of PTSS among rescue workers have been identified; however, little is known about how these predictors differ among professions requiring repeated engagement in emergencies. The present cross-sectional survey aimed to examine how these variables influence PTSS, well-being, and suicidal ideation across different professions of rescue workers and emergency personnel. In this anonymous online study, data from 1,002 rescue workers and emergency personnel in the canton Bern, Switzerland, were collected in the year 2015: 499 police officers, 239 firefighters, 97 ambulance personnel, and 85 emergency and 82 psychiatric nurses. PTSS, coping strategies, well-being, suicidal ideation, previously experienced and work-related trauma, and self-efficacy were measured and analyzed using multiple regression and structural equation modeling (SEM). The prevalence of suspected posttraumatic stress disorder varied across the professions (F4, 994 = 6.21, P < 0.001), ranged from 8% (firefighters) to 22% (psychiatric nurses), and was associated with psychological strain and suicidal ideation. The SEM showed that dysfunctional coping strategies, self-efficacy, previously experienced and work-related trauma, years on the job, and the female sex explained between 37% and 78% of PTSS and that PTSS itself explained between 48% and 68% of the psychological strain experienced in the different professions. Independent of the profession, dysfunctional coping such as alcohol use, avoidance, and distraction, as well as work-related trauma were the most robust predictors of PTSS development. In agreement with prior research, emergency personnel and rescuers exhibited enhanced prevalence of PTSS and suspected PTSD, leading to significant psychological strain and suicidal ideation. However, risk factors varied across the professions. Thus, the development of profession-specific trainings to improve self-efficacy and coping with work-related stressors to reduce PTSS, and enhance quality of life, is urgently needed for individuals in such high-risk professions.

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The Influence of Self-Efficacy on Flight Dispatchers' Stressor-Strain Relationships

Social Behavior and Personality An International Journal ◽

10.2224/sbp.2011.39.6.839 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 39 (6) ◽

pp. 839-850 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Haihua Liu ◽

Guoping Song ◽

Dengfeng Wang

Keyword(s):

Job Satisfaction ◽

Role Conflict ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Moderating Effect ◽

Role Overload ◽

Physical Strain ◽

Psychological Strain ◽

Role Stressors ◽

Work Related ◽

Strain Relationship

Flight dispatchers' role stressors and their consequential work-related strains and job satisfaction were investigated in this study, along with the moderating effect of self-efficacy on flight dispatchers' role stressors and strains, and on role stressors and job satisfaction. Data were collected from 309 flight dispatchers from 2 Chinese airlines. Correlations and hierarchical regressions revealed that the role stressors were all related to flight dispatchers' physical strain, psychological strain, and job satisfaction. The moderating effect of self-efficacy depends on the different role stressors and dependent variables being examined. Specifically, the moderating effect was found to be significant in the role conflict-psychological strain relationship, role conflict-job satisfaction relationship, and role overload-psychological strain relationship. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

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Positivity and job burnout in emergency personnel: examining linear and curvilinear relationship

Polish Psychological Bulletin ◽

10.1515/ppb-2017-0024 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 48 (2) ◽

pp. 212-219 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Beata Aleksandra Basińska ◽

Ewa Gruszczyńska

Keyword(s):

Police Officers ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Job Burnout ◽

Curvilinear Relationship ◽

Work Related ◽

Emergency Personnel ◽

Linear Relationships ◽

Positivity Ratio ◽

Curvilinear Relationships ◽

The Relationship

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine whether the relationship between the ratio of job-related positive to negative emotions (positivity ratio) and job burnout is best described as linear or curvilinear. Participants were 89 police officers (12% women) and 86 firefighters. The positivity ratio was evaluated using the Job-related Affective Wellbeing Scale (Van Katwyk, Fox, Spector, & Kelloway, 2000). Exhaustion and disengagement, two components of job burnout, were measured using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (Demerouti, Mostert, & Bakker, 2010). The results of regression analysis revealed that curvilinear relationships between the positivity ratio and two components of job burnout appeared to better fit the data than linear relationships. The relationship between the positivity ratio and exhaustion was curvilinear with a curve point at around 2.1. A similar curvilinear relationship, but with a lower curve point, i.e., around 1.8, was observed for disengagement. It seems that beyond certain values there may be hidden costs of maintaining positive emotions at work. Also, the unequal curve points for subscales suggest that different dimensions of work-related functioning are variously prone to such costs.

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Smoking predicts posttraumatic stress symptoms among rescue workers: A prospective study of ambulance personnel involved in the Enschede Fireworks Disaster

Drug and Alcohol Dependence ◽

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2007.11.001 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 94 (1-3) ◽

pp. 267-271 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Peter G. van der Velden ◽

Rolf J. Kleber ◽

Karestan C. Koenen

Keyword(s):

Prospective Study ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms ◽

Ambulance Personnel ◽

Rescue Workers ◽

Stress Symptoms ◽

A Prospective Study

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The impact of emergency responder musculoskeletal injuries in the State of Ohio

Work ◽

10.3233/wor-205065 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Brendan Hanson ◽

Sherry Steele Cooper ◽

Taryn Tegarden ◽

Logan Tipton ◽

Andrew G Freeman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Police Officers ◽

Motor Vehicle ◽

Univariate Analysis ◽

Musculoskeletal Injuries ◽

Leadership Role ◽

Work Related ◽

Emergency Responder ◽

Emergency Personnel ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND: Emergency personnel operate in environments that put them at higher risk of injury to the musculoskeletal system. These injuries result in lost workdays, medical costs, and decreased productivity, all which impact emergency response systems. OBJECTIVE: This study serves to assess the causes, costs, and disability of common work-related musculoskeletal injuries within the police, emergency medical service (EMS) workers, and firefighters of Ohio based on data from the OBWC (Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation). METHODS: Our dataset included all OBWC injury claims involving a shoulder, low back, or knee from 2010 through 2014. Police and Firefighter leaders were analyzed separately from those not in a leadership role, and workers with combined Firefighter/EMS roles were analyzed separately from “pure” Firefighters and EMS personnel. Data were organized through univariate analysis of variance with post-hoc Tukey tests and analyzed based on the job of the individual and whether the individual was in a leadership role. RESULTS: Police officers had the highest number of total injuries in the dataset, followed by Firefighters and Firefighters/EMS workers. Police officers and Firefighters injured their back and knees more often than their shoulders, while EMS workers injured their backs and shoulders more often than their knees. CONCLUSIONS: The mechanisms through which injuries occur are also dependent on the job. Police officers experienced a higher percentage of motor vehicle related back problems, while firefighters had a higher percentage of injuries from overexertion. Musculoskeletal injury claims in these emergency personnel resulted in opioid prescriptions approximately 10%of the time.

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Posttraumatic stress disorder and complex posttraumatic stress disorder in UK police officers

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291720003025 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Chris R. Brewin ◽

Jessica K. Miller ◽

Magdalena Soffia ◽

Alexandra Peart ◽

Brendan Burchell

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Sexual Harassment ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Police Officers ◽

Online Survey ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Physical Violence ◽

Traumatic Events ◽

Work Related ◽

The Uk

Abstract Background We investigated work-related exposure to stressful and traumatic events in police officers, including repeated exposure to traumatic materials, and predicted that ICD-11 complex PTSD (CPTSD) would be more prevalent than posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The effects of demographic variables on exposure and PTSD were examined, along with whether specific types of exposure were uniquely associated with PTSD or CPTSD. Methods An online survey covering issues about trauma management, wellbeing and working conditions was disseminated via social media and official policing channels throughout the UK. In total, 10 401 serving police officers self-identified as having been exposed to traumatic events. Measurement of PTSD and CPTSD utilised the International Trauma Questionnaire. Results The prevalence of PTSD was 8.0% and of CPTSD was 12.6%. All exposures were associated with PTSD and CPTSD in bivariate analyses. Logistic regression indicated that both disorders were more common in male officers, and were associated independently with frequent exposure to traumatic incidents and traumatic visual material, and with exposure to humiliating behaviours and sexual harassment, but not to verbal abuse, threats or physical violence. Compared to PTSD, CPTSD was associated with exposure to humiliating behaviours and sexual harassment, and also with lower rank and more years of service. Conclusions CPTSD was more common than PTSD in police officers, and the data supported a cumulative burden model of CPTSD. The inclusion in DSM-5 Criterion A of work-related exposure to traumatic materials was validated for the first time. Levels of PTSD and CPTSD mandate enhanced occupational mental health services.

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