Medical Emergencies, Mental Stress, PTSD, Stress, Work Related Stress
Conditions
Keywords
stress, work-related stress, trauma, PTSD, medical personnel
Brief summary
The aim of this study is to identify trauma determinants and leverage this understanding to develop solutions applicable to the prevention and treatment of PTSD among emergency medical personnel. By categorizing stimuli associated with traumatic professional experiences, the study aims to enhance existing therapeutic protocols through exposure therapy. The specific objectives are as follows: 1. Analysis and characterization of occupational workloads among doctors and emergency medical personnel, focusing on the scale of burdens associated with PTSD symptoms. 2. Development of categories for aggravating and potentially traumatizing stimuli within the medical staff of rescue teams. 3. Examination of the feasibility of incorporating the obtained results into cognitive-behavioral therapy protocols. 4. Assessment of the potential for implementing the results in solutions utilizing virtual reality technology. 5. Formation of an interdisciplinary international research team.
Detailed description
Background: Data on the impact of workloads indicate that emergency medical personnel exposed to sudden threats to health or life are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of occupational stress. Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) within this professional group significantly surpass the rates found in the general population. Traumatic experiences encountered by medical staff may lead to a substantial decline in their mental health, as well as in their social and professional functioning. Participants: Several hundred medical doctors and emergency medical personnel from Poland, Ukraine, Portugal and Spain. Research Methodology: Analysis of data collected through focused interviews, psychological scales, and questionnaires pertaining to burnout, stress, and mental health conditions.
Interventions
DIAGNOSTIC_TESTQualitative & Quantitative Research
1. Focused interviews - conducted by members of the appointed research team to recognize the issues faced by emergency medical staff in Poland, Ukraine, Portugal, and Spain with the aim of preparing the measurement framework. 2. Online questionnaire surveys - conducted using the Qualtrics platform (available in different, language versions - Polish, Ukrainian, Portuguese, and Spanish).
Sponsors
Jagiellonian University
Study design
Observational model
CASE_ONLY
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
21 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* completed medical studies or emergency medical course * assistance in life-threatening conditions
Exclusion criteria
* Intellectual disability * Inability to self-complete the research questionnaires
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Focused Interview | October, 2023 until November, 2023 | Interviews pertaining to physical injury risk, psychosocial factors, and personal indicators |
| Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5) | December, 2023 until March, 2024 | Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist - 20-item, self-report measure to assess the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. Items are rated on 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely). A general score ranges from 0 to 80 with a higher score indicating a higher symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. |
| Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) | December, 2023 until March, 2024 | Patient Health Questionnaire - 9-item, self-report measure to assess the severity of depression. Items are rated on 4-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). A general score ranges from 0 to 27 with a higher score indicating a higher depressive symptom severity. |
| Depersonalization Mechanism Scale (DMS) | December, 2023 until March, 2024 | Depersonalization Mechanism Scale - a 20-item, self-report measure to assess the tendency to depersonalization. Items are rated on 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (never) to 4 (very often). A general score ranges from 0 to 80 with a higher score indicating a higher tendency to depersonalization. |
Countries
Poland, Portugal, Ukraine
Contacts
Primary ContactKrystyna Golonka, Prof
Backup ContactKatarzyna Sitnik-Warchulska, PhD
Outcome results
None listed