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PTSD and Related Factors among Dispatched Firefighters to Rescue Sites after the Great Japanese Earthquake (Running head: Dispatched Firefighters' PTSD)
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Mihyun Yang, Eunil Lee, Jae Wook Choi, Hae Joon Kim
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Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2012;24(2):167-179. Published online June 30, 2012
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2012.24.2.167
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 Abstract
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- OBJECTIVES
This study aims to investigate the risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its related factors among firefighters dispatched to the rescue sites after the Great Japanese Earthquake in 2011.
METHODS
Among 104 male firefighters dispatched to rescue sites after the Great Japanese Earthquake, 73 firefighters were assessed. The 73 firefighters completed questionnaires, which include general characteristics, an impact of event scale-revised Korean version (IES-R-K), a coping checklist, a scale of perceived social support, and a post-traumatic stress diagnostic scale (PDS). The data was analyzed to find factors related to PTSD risk.
RESULTS
The mean value of age and work tenure in this study were 38.6 years (SD=5.7) and 11.6 years (SD=6.0), respectively. The number and rate of the PTSD high-risk group in dispatched firefighters in this study was 7 cases and 9.6% using IES-R-K, with an over 25-point cutoff score. The mean rank of tenure, 53.5 in the PTSD high-risk group (n=7), was significantly higher than that of 32.2 in the PTSD low-risk group (n=66). The mean rank of assessable support, 20.2 in the PTSD high-risk group was significantly lower than that of 38.7 in the PTSD low-risk group. In logistic analysis of model 1 including PDS in independent variables, were associated with being a PTSD high-risk group as in the following: higher PDS score (OR 2.18, 95% CI: 1.07~4.46), longer tenure (OR 3.42, 95% CI: 1.01~11.89), more using coping method (OR 1.35, 95% CI: 1.00~1.81), and lower perceptions of social support (OR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.72~0.97). In logistic analysis of model 2 without PDS in independent variables, more using coping method (OR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.01~1.28) and lower perceptions of social support (OR 0.95, 95% CI: 0.91~0.98) were associated with being a PTSD high-risk group.
CONCLUSION
The PTSD high-risk group in dispatched firefighters indicated that their odds ratios were increased when they used more coping methods under specific stress conditions and had lower perceptions of social support. Therefore, for those, who might be dispatched to overseas, the psychological support approach should be considered to produce effective coping methods against traumatic events and to be aware of abundant resources for social support regarding the problem.
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Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by  - Changes in the Levels of Stress Perception, Experiencing Depressive Symptoms and Health-Related Quality of Life of Residents after the 2016 Gyeongju Earthquake
Young Ran Han, Yeo Won Jeong, Sang Kyu Kim, Han Seok Jeong
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2021; 18(2): 540. CrossRef - Medical litigation experience of the victim of medical accident: a qualitative case study
Jeehee Pyo, Minsu Ock, Young-Joo Han
International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being.2019;[Epub] CrossRef - Psychological Risk Factors for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Workers After Toxic Chemical Spill in Gumi, South Korea
Ji Young Song, Kyoung-Sook Jeong, Kyeong-sook Choi, Min-gi Kim, Yeon-Soon Ahn
Workplace Health & Safety.2018; 66(8): 393. CrossRef - Stressors of Korean Disaster Relief Team Members during the Nepal Earthquake Dispatch: a Consensual Qualitative Research Analysis
Kangeui Lee, So Hee Lee, Taejin Park, Ji-yeon Lee
Journal of Korean Medical Science.2017; 32(3): 507. CrossRef - Duty-related incidental stress and the coping method in new firefighters
Mi-Lye Baek
The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services.2014; 18(3): 53. CrossRef
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Comparison of Blood Pre-treatment Methods for Determining Erythrocyte Pyrimidine 5'-Nucleotidase Activity
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Byung Hean Kim, Hae Joon Kim, Jae Wook Choi, Eunil Lee, Yong Tae Yum
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Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1997;9(4):565-578. Published online December 31, 1997
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1997.9.4.565
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Abstract
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- Sakai's method has been known as the simplest one for determination of erythrocyte pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase (P5N) activity using high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). However the drawback of the method is that it is difficult to wash the erythrocyte for isolation. To search for the simpler method, we compared Sakai's method with other methods using whole blood treated with heparin and concanavalin A or whole blood treated with EDTA-2K instead of washing the erythrocyte. The mean concentrations of lead in blood samples collected from 44 male and 16 female workers who are healthy without any exposure to lead in their workplace were 4.30 +/- 1.31 microgram /dl (mean +/-standard deviation), which were measured by frameless atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Erythrocyte P5N activities were measured by 3 methods; Sakai's method(Method I), using whole blood treated with heparin and concanavalin A (Method II), and using whole blood treated with EDTA-2K (Method III). The results were obtained as follows ; 1. The mean of erythrocyte P5N activity by Sakai's method(Method I) were 12.7 +/-2.47 amole uridine/hr/gm of Hb. 2. The mean of erythrocyte P5N activity by the method using heparinized whole blood treated with concanavalin A(Method II) were 13.1 +/-2.41 micromole uridine/hr/gm of Hb. 3. The difference of mean erythrocyte P5N activity between Method I and Method was not significant. 4. The erythrocyte P5N activity by the method using whole blood treated with EDTA-2K (Method III) was significantly different from Method I. We thought that omission of incubation period which was required on Method III using EDTA-2K caused the difference between Method I and Method III. 5. Simple linear regression equation for erythrocyte P5N activity between Method I (Y) and Method II(X) was significant: Y = -0.012 + 0.9724 X. These results suggest that the method using whole blood treated with heparin and concanavalin A is simpler to examine the erythrocyte P5N activity as a biological indicator of lead intoxication than Sakai's method.
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