Preparing for the Future Pandemic: Impact of Individual and Occupational Factors on Paramedics' Mental Health

Abstract

Objectives The mental health of paramedics is critical for disaster response in order to provide rapid and effective interventions. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related individual and occupational factors in Turkish paramedics during the eleventh month of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The Sociodemographic Information Form, Life Events Checklist, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist were used to collect data from 440 randomly selected paramedics in this cross-sectional study. Results The prevalence of PTSD was 59.8% in the 11th month of the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple regression analysis revealed that approximately 25% of the total PTSD score could be independently explained by paramedics' general health situation and sociodemographic characteristics; 27% by crisis management skills, long working hours, a lack of equipment, and intensive work; and 40% by past traumatic experiences due to difficult life events during their professional practice, such as responding to gunshot wounds, becoming a victim of a gunshot attack, or sexual assault (P < 0.05). Conclusions Integrating a mental health monitoring system into the health and safety program, providing paramedics with supervision and psychological assistance, and engaging them in disaster preparedness planning would be beneficial.