Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Emergency Medical Services Personnel: A Cross-sectional Study
Background: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is characterized by directly experiencing traumatic events or witnessing, learning, or repetitively experiencing the details of these events. High risk occupations (i.e., EMS personnel) frequently encounter traumatic eventscoping with events exceeding the r...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara
2019-07-01
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| Series: | Asian Journal of Medical Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/AJMS/article/view/23990 |
| _version_ | 1818249473887830016 |
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| author | Meshal K Alaqeel Nawfal A Aljerian Muhannad A AlNahdi Raiyan Y Almaini |
| author_facet | Meshal K Alaqeel Nawfal A Aljerian Muhannad A AlNahdi Raiyan Y Almaini |
| author_sort | Meshal K Alaqeel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is characterized by directly experiencing traumatic events or witnessing, learning, or repetitively experiencing the details of these events. High risk occupations (i.e., EMS personnel) frequently encounter traumatic eventscoping with events exceeding the range of human experiences. Regional lack of studies necessitated the need to report the prevalence of PTSD among healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia (SA).
Aims and Objective: To explore the prevalence of PTSD among EMS personnel.
Materials and Methods: This a descriptive cross-sectional study at King Abdul Aziz Medical City (KAMC), Riyadh, SA among 110 paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMT), and ambulance drivers who were conveniently selected for this screening. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, the Civilian version, (PCL-C) was used to screen the participants, and cut-off point was 30-35. PTSD symptoms (present & absent) was considered as outcome measure.
Results: Total of 110 participants were contacted, 74 (67%) agreed to participate. Around half of the participants were EMT (52%). Total number of screened individuals is 52, 14 (26.9%) had positive screening, of those, EMT had higher proportion than paramedics (32% vs 20.8%).
Conclusion: This report is the first PTSD prevalence among healthcare providers in SA. The results showed that 26% of EMS personnel had positive screening for PTSD. Attention should be directed toward this issue by regular psychological evaluation and implementing psychological rehabilitation programs for EMS personnel. The study reflects only one center in the city, thus generalization would not be inappropriate. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T15:37:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-21a6bb6755834dc78972b12e36b170f1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2467-9100 2091-0576 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T15:37:04Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Asian Journal of Medical Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-21a6bb6755834dc78972b12e36b170f12022-12-22T00:19:58ZengManipal College of Medical Sciences, PokharaAsian Journal of Medical Sciences2467-91002091-05762019-07-011042831https://doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v10i4.23990Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Emergency Medical Services Personnel: A Cross-sectional StudyMeshal K Alaqeel 0Nawfal A Aljerian 1Muhannad A AlNahdi 2Raiyan Y Almaini 3King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3786-334XKing Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3242-0312King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0839-4131King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8613-0222Background: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is characterized by directly experiencing traumatic events or witnessing, learning, or repetitively experiencing the details of these events. High risk occupations (i.e., EMS personnel) frequently encounter traumatic eventscoping with events exceeding the range of human experiences. Regional lack of studies necessitated the need to report the prevalence of PTSD among healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia (SA). Aims and Objective: To explore the prevalence of PTSD among EMS personnel. Materials and Methods: This a descriptive cross-sectional study at King Abdul Aziz Medical City (KAMC), Riyadh, SA among 110 paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMT), and ambulance drivers who were conveniently selected for this screening. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, the Civilian version, (PCL-C) was used to screen the participants, and cut-off point was 30-35. PTSD symptoms (present & absent) was considered as outcome measure. Results: Total of 110 participants were contacted, 74 (67%) agreed to participate. Around half of the participants were EMT (52%). Total number of screened individuals is 52, 14 (26.9%) had positive screening, of those, EMT had higher proportion than paramedics (32% vs 20.8%). Conclusion: This report is the first PTSD prevalence among healthcare providers in SA. The results showed that 26% of EMS personnel had positive screening for PTSD. Attention should be directed toward this issue by regular psychological evaluation and implementing psychological rehabilitation programs for EMS personnel. The study reflects only one center in the city, thus generalization would not be inappropriate.https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/AJMS/article/view/23990post-traumatic stress disorderemergency medical servicessaudi arabia |
| spellingShingle | Meshal K Alaqeel Nawfal A Aljerian Muhannad A AlNahdi Raiyan Y Almaini Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Emergency Medical Services Personnel: A Cross-sectional Study Asian Journal of Medical Sciences post-traumatic stress disorder emergency medical services saudi arabia |
| title | Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Emergency Medical Services Personnel: A Cross-sectional Study |
| title_full | Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Emergency Medical Services Personnel: A Cross-sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Emergency Medical Services Personnel: A Cross-sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Emergency Medical Services Personnel: A Cross-sectional Study |
| title_short | Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Emergency Medical Services Personnel: A Cross-sectional Study |
| title_sort | post traumatic stress disorder among emergency medical services personnel a cross sectional study |
| topic | post-traumatic stress disorder emergency medical services saudi arabia |
| url | https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/AJMS/article/view/23990 |
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