Investigation of Psychological Stress and Sleep Quality of Emergency Medical Technicians in Taiwan Fire Department during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Chiao-Yin Cheng, Jen-Tang Sun, Hung-Pin Chang, Yen-Lin Chen, Dee Pei and Yao-Jen Liang ()
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Chiao-Yin Cheng: Department of Emergency Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei 220, Taiwan
Jen-Tang Sun: Department of Emergency Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei 220, Taiwan
Hung-Pin Chang: Department of Emergency Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei 220, Taiwan
Yen-Lin Chen: Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, Medical Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan
Dee Pei: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University Hospital, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei 242, Taiwan
Yao-Jen Liang: Graduate Institute of Applied Science and Engineering, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei 242, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: When the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) began to ravage the world in 2019, the World Health Organization became concerned. The epidemic has a high mortality and contagion rate, with severe health and psychological impacts on frontline emergency medical service system practitioners. There are many hospital staff surveys, but few have covered the stress among emergency medical technicians. DASS-21, PSQI, and AUDIT questionnaires were used to evaluate the sources of psychological stress factors of firefighters in Taiwan. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the questionnaire content. We conducted questionnaire surveys from May 2022 to July 2022. Our sample comprised 688 participants. The odds ratios of increased depression, anxiety, and stress levels due to reduced family or peer understanding and support were 2.72 (95% CI: 1.50–4.92), p = 0.001; 2.03 (95% CI: 1.11–3.68), p = 0.021; and 3.27 (95% CI: 1.83–5.86), p < 0.001, respectively. The odds ratios of poor sleep quality due to depression, anxiety, and increased stress levels were 5.04 (3.18–7.99), p < 0.001; 2.44 (95% CI: 1.57–3.81), p < 0.001; and 4.34 (95% CI: 2.76–6.82), p -value < 0.001, respectively. During the COVID-19 pandemic, poor sleep quality and a lack of understanding and support from the Taiwan firefighting agency staff, family, or peers resulted in increased depression, anxiety, and stress levels.

Keywords: EMS; DASS-21; PSQI; firefighter; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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