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Posttraumatic Stress in Professional Firefighters in Japan: Rescue Efforts after the Great East Japan Earthquake (Higashi Nihon Dai-Shinsai)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 August 2012

Masahito Fushimi
Masahito Fushimi*
Affiliation:
Akita Prefectural Mental Health & Welfare Center, Akita, Japan
*
Correspondence: Masahito Fushimi, MD, PhD Akita Prefectural Mental Health & Welfare Center 2-1-51 Nakadori, Akita City Akita 010-0001, Japan E-mail fushimi@pref.akita.lg.jp or fushimi@sings.jp
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Abstract

Introduction

Firefighters are often exposed to stressful duty-related events and may experience extreme trauma. Such work-related stress can result in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is therefore important to understand the traumatic stress experienced by firefighters in the course of their work and to promote appropriate intervention when necessary.

Methods

Data were collected from 118 workers (all males) in the Fire Department of Akita City, Japan who had participated in the Great East Japan Earthquake (Higashi Nihon Dai-Shinsai) rescue effort from March 11 through March 31, 2011. Study participants completed self-report surveys at three time intervals: shortly after return from the rescue effort, approximately two weeks after return from the rescue effort, and approximately one month after return from the rescue effort. The surveys included questions of demographics, physical complaints, medical history, and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) Japanese version, in which a cut-off point of 24/25 was set to screen for PTSD.

Results

A total of 117 participants undertook the initial survey with a range of 0-36 points obtained on the IES-R score. For the initial survey, two of 117 participants scored ≥25 points. For the intermediate survey phase, a range of 0-19 was obtained for 116 participants and for the final survey phase, a range of 0-11 points was obtained for 114 participants.

Conclusion

Contrary to expectations, the survey results showed no participant was judged to require prompt consultation for PTSD. The firefighters who participated in this study were in good mental health. However, more detailed study is required to ascertain whether these findings adequately and clearly reflect the mental health status of these participants.

FushimiM. Posttraumatic Stress in Professional Firefighters in Japan: Rescue Efforts after the Great East Japan Earthquake (Higashi Nihon Dai-Shinsai). Prehosp Disaster Med.2012;27(5):1-3.

Keywords

earthquakefirefightersImpact of Event ScaleJapanposttraumatic stress disorder
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 27 , Issue 5 , October 2012 , pp. 416 - 418
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2012

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