Exposure to traumatic incidents and prevalence of posttraumatic stress symptomatology in urban firefighters in two countries.
Authors
Corneil-W; Beaton-R; Johnson-C
Source
J Occup Health Psychol 1999 Apr; 4(2):131-141
Abstract
Urban firefighters are at risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due in part to their exposure to duty-related trauma. This study compared duty-related trauma exposures and the prevalences of posttraumatic stress in U.S. and Canadian firefighters. Both samples reported relatively numerous and frequent posttrauma symptoms, and the rates of self-reported PTSD prevalence did not differ significantly. However, analysis of departmental records for respondents' previous year on duty revealed significant differences in both frequencies and categories of traumatic incident exposures. Some of the vulnerability and moderating risk factors associated with PTSD caseness differed between the U.S. and Canadian samples. Potential explanations for the observed differences in risk factors for PTSD in these 2 firefighter samples are considered.
Keywords
Risk-factors; Stress; Fire-fighters; Fire-fighting; Fire-hazards; Hazardous-materials; Occupational-hazards; Sampling; Injuries; Occupational-exposure; Paramedical-services; Emergency-responders; Emergency-response; Traumatic-injuries; Stress; Humans
Contact
Wayne Corneil, Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8M5
Document Type
Journal Article
Email Address
wayne_corneil@hc-sc.gc.ca
Identifying No.
Grant-Number-R01-OH-003198
Source Name
Journal of Occupational Health Psychology
Performing Organization
University of Washington, School of Nursing, Seattle, Washington
