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World Journal of Emergency Medicine ›› 2013, Vol. 4 ›› Issue (1): 26-31.doi: 10.5847/wjem.j.issn.1920-8642.2013.01.005

• Original Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Post-traumatic stress disorder among paramedic and hospital emergency personnel in south-east Iran

Sedigheh Iranmanesh, Batool Tirgari(), Hojat Sheikh Bardsiri   

  1. School of Nursing and Midwifery, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
  • Received:2012-10-06 Accepted:2013-01-19 Online:2013-03-15 Published:2013-03-15
  • Contact: Batool Tirgari E-mail:hbardsiri@yahoo.com

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Paramedic and emergency personnel may encounter directly many events that threat their own wellbeing during their daily work. This study was conducted to examine the prevalence rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among two groups of paramedic and emergency personnel in south-east Iran.
METHODS: The study employed a descriptive design and was conducted in four hospital emergency wards and a pre-hospital emergency base supervised by Kerman Medical University. Using Mississippi PTSD, we assessed the prevalence rate in paramedics (n=150) and emergency personnel (n=250).
RESULTS: The two groups had different levels of education, marital status, experience of traumatic events, work hours per month, and gender. Most (94%) of paramedic and hospital emergency personnel reported moderate PTSD. The two groups had significant different levels of PTSD in all subscale.
CONCLUSION: The study suggests that health care managers should organize systematic and dynamic policies and procedures in dealing with PTSD to assist both groups of personnel.

Key words: Post-traumatic stress disorder, Paramedic personnel, Emergency personnel