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Daily Stress and Concept of Self in Swedish Ambulance Personnel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Anders Jonsson  and
Kerstin Segesten
Anders Jonsson*
Affiliation:
Hogskolan I Boras School of Health Sciences, Goteborg University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Primary Health Care, Boras, Sweden
Kerstin Segesten
Affiliation:
Hogskolan I Boras School of Health Sciences, Goteborg University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Primary Health Care, Boras, Sweden
*
Hogskolan I Boras, Room E 525, SE- 501 90 BorasSweden E-mail: Anders.Jonsson@hb.se
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Abstract

Introduction:

This study investigated the prevalence of post-traumatic stress symptoms among professional ambulance personnel in Sweden and investigated the question: “Does self-knowledge have influence on how well one copes with the effects of daily work exposure from such events?” Little is known about the variables that might be associated with post-traumatic stress symptoms in highrisk occupational groups such as ambulance service groups.

Methods:

Data were gathered from ambulance personnel by means of an anonymous questionnaire. Survey responses of 362 ambulance personnel from the county of Västra Götaland were analyzed. A correlation was established between post-traumatic symptoms using the impact of event scale (IES-15) and the Professional Self-Description Form (PSDF).

Results:

Of those who reported a traumatic situation, 21.5% scored ≥ 26 on the IES-15 subscale. Scores >26 indicate “PTSD caseness”. There were significant differences on PSDF subscales between those presenting with or without posttraumatic symptoms.

Conclusions:

The mental health and emotional well-being of ambulance personnel appear to be compromised by accident and emergency work. The high prevalence of PTSD symptoms in ambulance personnel indicates an inability to cope with post-traumatic stress caused by daily work experiences.

Keywords

ambulance personnelimpact of event scalepost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)predictorsprofessional self-description form (PSDF)stresstraumatic eventsworking environment
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 19 , Issue 3 , September 2004 , pp. 226 - 234
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2004

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