Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing (한국직업건강간호학회지)

Korean Academic Society of Occupational Health Nursing (한국직업건강간호학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Impact of Health-related Quality of Life in Firefighters: Focused on Posttraumatic Stress, Health-related Work Limitations, and Family Support

소방공무원의 건강 관련 삶의 질에 영향을 미치는 요인: 외상 후 스트레스 증상, 건강 관련 업무제약, 가족지지를 중심으로

  • Park, Ki-Soo (Department of Preventive Medicine.Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Ha, Yeongmi (College of Nursing.Gerontological Health Research Center in Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Seo, Minjeong (College of Nursing.Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Choi, Yeun-Soon (Department of Preventive Medicine.Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Kim, Mi-Ji (Department of Preventive Medicine.Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Jeong, Yeoju (Department of Preventive Medicine.Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Yang, Seungkyoung (Department of Nursing, Gwangyang Health College)
  • 박기수 (경상대학교 의학전문대학원 예방의학교실.건강과학연구원) ;
  • 하영미 (경상대학교 간호대학.건강과학연구원 노인건강연구센터) ;
  • 서민정 (경상대학교 간호대학.건강과학연구원) ;
  • 최연순 (경상대학교 의과 예방의학교실.건강과학연구원) ;
  • 김미지 (경상대학교 의과 예방의학교실.건강과학연구원) ;
  • 정여주 (경상대학교 의과 예방의학교실.건강과학연구원) ;
  • 양승경 (광양보건대학교 간호과)
  • Received : 2017.05.15
  • Accepted : 2017.08.08
  • Published : 2017.08.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, cross-sectional study was to identify the factors affecting health-related quality of life by examining the relationships among posttraumatic stress, health-related work limitations, and family support in firefighters. Methods: The data were collected from 390 firefighters working in four fire stations located in the G district using self-report questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA along with the $Scheff{\acute{e}}$ test, and multiple regression. Results: As per the results of multiple regression analysis, the factors affecting health-related quality of life in firefighters were posttraumatic stress, health-related work limitations, and family support. This model explained 31% of the variance in health-related quality of life (F=30.03, p<.001). Conclusion: Considering the findings of this study, there is a need to reduce posttraumatic stress and health-related work limitations and develop family support toward firefighters.

Keywords

References

  1. American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnosis and statistical manual of mental disorders. Washington DC: American Psychiatric Press.
  2. An, C. S. (2016). The effects of fire-fighting officers' PTSD on their physical and mental health: focusing on the moderating effect of social support. Korean Journal of Local Government & Administration Studies, 30(3), 229-251. https://doi.org/10.18398/kjlgas.2016.30.3.229
  3. Bae, J. M. (2010). A study on the relationship between mobilization shocks, social supports, coping behaviors, and PTSD symptoms and psychological well-being of fire officials. Korean Public Administration Review, 44(3), 141-163.
  4. Bae, Y. J. (2015). Relations on health promotion activities & quality of life among firefighters in daegu. Unpublished master's thesis, Yeungnam University, Daegu.
  5. Brough, P. (2005). A comparative investigation of the predictors of work related psychological well-being within police, fire and ambulance workers. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 34(2), 127-134.
  6. Cobb, S. (1976). Presidential address-1976. social support as a moderator of life stress. Psychosomatic medicine, 38(5), 300-314. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006842-197609000-00003
  7. Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98(2), 310-357. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.98.2.310
  8. Creamer, T. L., & Linddle, B. J. (2005). Secondary traumatic stress among disaster mental health workers responding to the September 11 attacks. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 18(1), 89-96. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.20008
  9. Dean, A., & Lin, N. (1977). The stress-buffering role of social support. Problems and prospects for systematic investigation. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 165(6), 403-417. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005053-197712000-00006
  10. Dew, K., Keefe, V., & Small, K. (2005). 'Choosing' to work when sick: workplace presenteeism. Social Sciences and Medicine, 60 (6), 2273-2282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2004.10.022
  11. Foa, E. B., Cashman, L., Jaycox, L., & Perry, K. (1997). The validation of a self-report measure of posttraumatic stress disorder: The posttraumatic diagnostic scale. Psychological assessment, 9(4), 445-451. https://doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.9.4.445
  12. Gentzler, M., & Stader, S. (2010). Posture stress on firefighters and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) associated with repetitive reaching, bending, lifting, and pulling tasks. Work, 37(3), 227-239.
  13. Heinrichs, M., Wagner, D., Schoch, W., Soravia, L. M., Hellhammer, D. H., & Ehlert, U. (2005). Predicting posttraumatic stress symptoms from pretraumatic risk factors: A 2-year prospective follow-up study in firefighters. American Journal of Psychiatry, 162(12), 2276-2286. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.162.12.2276
  14. Kim, Y., & Bae, J. (2012). Construction of a post traumatic stress model for fire fighters. Journal of Korean Academy Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, 21(4), 282-291. https://doi.org/10.12934/jkpmhn.2012.21.4.282
  15. Kuper, H., Singh-Manoux A., Siegrist J., & Marmot, M. (2002). When reciprocity fails: effort-reward imbalance in relation to coronary heart disease and health functioning within the Whitehall II study. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 59(11), 777-784. https://doi.org/10.1136/oem.59.11.777
  16. Lavender, S. A., Conrad, K. M., Reichelt, P. A., Kohok A. K., & Gacki-Smith, J. (2007). Designing ergonomic interventions for EMS workers-part II: Lateral transfers. Applied Ergonomics, 38 (2), 227-236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2006.02.005
  17. Lee, K., Heo, H., Kim D., Kim, I., Kim, S., Rho, J., et al. (2009). The factors related to health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and correlation between occupational stress and HRQOL among municipal fire officers in Incheon. Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 21(3), 267-275.
  18. Lee, M. O. (2013). Quality of life and related to health factors of firefighters. Unpublished master's thesis, Kyungpook National University, Daegu.
  19. Lee, S. (2016). A study on the effects of PTSD and quality of life among firefighters. Unpublished master's thesis, Pusan National University, Busan.
  20. Lerner, D., Amick, B. C., Rogers, W. H., Malspeis, S., Bungay, K., et al. (2001). The work limitations questionnaire. Medical Care, 39(1), 72-85. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005650-200101000-00009
  21. Min, S. K., Lee, C. L., Kim, K. I., Suh, S. Y., & Kim, D. K. (2000). Development of korean version of WHO quality of life scale abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF). The Korean Journal of Neuropsychiatry Association, 39(3), 571-579.
  22. Moon, Y. S. (2011). The level and job-related provoking of firefighters' stress. The Korean Journal of Local Government Studies, 15(1), 119-141.
  23. Nam, B. R., Kwon, H. I., & Kwon, J. H. (2010). Psychometric qualities of the korean version of the posttraumatic diagnosis scale (PDS-K). Korean Journal of Clinical Psychology, 29(1), 147-167. https://doi.org/10.15842/kjcp.2010.29.1.009
  24. National Emergency Management. (2008). Analysis of post-traumatic stress of fire officials (11-1660000-000125-14). Seoul: National Emergency Management.
  25. Oh, G. J, Lee, J. M., Yang, C. Y., Park, H. J., Park Y. H., Yoo, C. U., et al. (2014). Impact of symptoms of work-related musculoskeletal disorders on health related quality of life in firefighter under the IT environment. Journal of Korea Institute of Electronic Communication Science, 9(3), 311-322. https://doi.org/10.13067/JKIECS.2014.9.3.311
  26. Punaxallio, A., Lusa, S., & Luukkonen, R. (2003). Protective equipment affects balance abilities differently in younger and older firefighters. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 74(11), 1151-1156.
  27. Shin, Y. S. (2015). A study on post traumatic stress disorder, job stress, depression of the fire fighters - Focused on fire fighters of the gyeonggi-do. Journal of The Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation, 15(2), 233-239. https://doi.org/10.9798/KOSHAM.2015.15.2.233
  28. Song, K., Ha, C., & Kim, H. (2010). A study on the factors influencing the quality of life among hospital patients with tuberculosis. The Korean Journal of Human Development, 17(1), 325-348.
  29. Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (2004). Posttraumatic growth: conceptual foundations and empirical evidence. Psychological Inquiry, 15(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1501_01
  30. Wald, J. (2009). Work limitations in employed persons seeking treatment for chronic posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 22(4), 312-315. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.20430

Cited by

  1. Factors associated with the Health-related Quality of Life of Firefighters vol.28, pp.4, 2017, https://doi.org/10.12934/jkpmhn.2019.28.4.353
  2. Mental and Physical Factors Influencing Wellbeing among South Korean Emergency Workers vol.18, pp.1, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010070
  3. 119구급대원의 자기계발 교육이 업무능력, 직무 만족도 및 삶의 질에 미치는 영향 vol.22, pp.2, 2017, https://doi.org/10.5762/kais.2021.22.2.40
  4. 반복적 외상 사건을 겪은 소방공무원의 외상 후 성장 경험 vol.30, pp.3, 2017, https://doi.org/10.5807/kjohn.2021.30.3.132