Burnout and Health Issues among Prehospital Personnel in Taiwan Fire Departments during a Sudden Spike in Community COVID-19 Cases: A Cross-Sectional Study

Yu-Tung Chang and Yih-Jin Hu
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Yu-Tung Chang: Department of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei City 106, Taiwan
Yih-Jin Hu: Department of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei City 106, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-11

Abstract: A spike in COVID-19 cases in Taiwan’s communities caused a significant increase in workload and infection concerns among prehospital personnel working in Taiwan fire departments. The present study was aimed at investigating their health status during this period. The target population was prehospital personnel who are from Taiwan fire departments, and who responded to COVID-19 patients during the community outbreak period. A questionnaire was employed to assess their physical and mental health status. The results showed that prehospital personnel suffered from moderate to severe degrees of burnout. Workload, body burden, and perceived pressure increased significantly during this period. Participants received more support from friends, family, and colleagues than they did from authorities. The paramedics reported higher scores for personal burnout than the emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Compared to non-COVID-19 response units, special COVID-19 response units reported higher scores for workload, body burden, and supportive environment. The results suggested that personal and work-related burnout were associated with higher perceived pressure. This study is the first investigation of physical and mental health burdens among prehospital personnel in Taiwan fire departments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The physical and mental health status of these personnel should be continuously monitored, and intervention provided as necessary.

Keywords: COVID-19; emergency worker workload; emergency worker burnout; pressure; emergency medical services (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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