Factors Influencing the Mental Health of Firefighters in Shantou City, China
Xiaojun Chen,1 Lishao Zhang,1 Zhekuang Peng,2 Shaoxing Chen1 1Department of Hospital Office, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Public Health, The Third Affiliated Hospital of SunYet-Sen University, Guang...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dove Medical Press
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Psychology Research and Behavior Management |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/factors-influencing-the-mental-health-of-firefighters-in-shantou-city--peer-reviewed-article-PRBM |
| _version_ | 1818517365270249472 |
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| author | Chen X Zhang L Peng Z Chen S |
| author_facet | Chen X Zhang L Peng Z Chen S |
| author_sort | Chen X |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Xiaojun Chen,1 Lishao Zhang,1 Zhekuang Peng,2 Shaoxing Chen1 1Department of Hospital Office, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Public Health, The Third Affiliated Hospital of SunYet-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Shaoxing ChenDepartment of Public Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, 57# Changping Road, Shantou 515041, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-754-88252184Email xjchen@stu.edu.cnBackground: Firefighters are routinely exposed to occupational stress and are therefore vulnerable to psychological problems.Patients and Methods: This study assessed the prevalence of mental health symptoms and potential contributing factors in a sample of firefighters in Shantou city, in the Guangdong Province of China. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 335 firefighters, including 329 male and 6 female firefighters. We used a questionnaire which assessed anxiety and depression, as indicated by the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), as well as other mental health symptoms, using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). Basic information and potential-related factors were also collected.Results: The average age of participants was 27.38 (SD ± 6.11) years. Assessed by the indexed score of different scales, SAS and SDS positive screening rates were 6.86% and 22.68%, respectively. SCL-90 scores indicated that 6.86% of participants had mental health symptoms. Logistic regression analysis showed that educational level, firefighter rank, and birth order were associated with mental health outcomes. Firefighters in Shantou were also shown to have better mental health outcomes than the Chinese military, but worse than the national population of firefighters.Conclusion: These findings indicated the mental health of firefighters is not good. It is necessary to explore effective approaches to help preventing and treating mental disorder in firefighters.Keywords: firefighter, mental health, depression, anxiety, influencing factors |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T00:55:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-68f8574866c14f8b8793c2ff741b92d6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1179-1578 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T00:55:16Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psychology Research and Behavior Management |
| spelling | doaj.art-68f8574866c14f8b8793c2ff741b92d62022-12-22T01:26:29ZengDove Medical PressPsychology Research and Behavior Management1179-15782020-07-01Volume 1352953654961Factors Influencing the Mental Health of Firefighters in Shantou City, ChinaChen XZhang LPeng ZChen SXiaojun Chen,1 Lishao Zhang,1 Zhekuang Peng,2 Shaoxing Chen1 1Department of Hospital Office, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Public Health, The Third Affiliated Hospital of SunYet-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Shaoxing ChenDepartment of Public Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, 57# Changping Road, Shantou 515041, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-754-88252184Email xjchen@stu.edu.cnBackground: Firefighters are routinely exposed to occupational stress and are therefore vulnerable to psychological problems.Patients and Methods: This study assessed the prevalence of mental health symptoms and potential contributing factors in a sample of firefighters in Shantou city, in the Guangdong Province of China. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 335 firefighters, including 329 male and 6 female firefighters. We used a questionnaire which assessed anxiety and depression, as indicated by the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), as well as other mental health symptoms, using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). Basic information and potential-related factors were also collected.Results: The average age of participants was 27.38 (SD ± 6.11) years. Assessed by the indexed score of different scales, SAS and SDS positive screening rates were 6.86% and 22.68%, respectively. SCL-90 scores indicated that 6.86% of participants had mental health symptoms. Logistic regression analysis showed that educational level, firefighter rank, and birth order were associated with mental health outcomes. Firefighters in Shantou were also shown to have better mental health outcomes than the Chinese military, but worse than the national population of firefighters.Conclusion: These findings indicated the mental health of firefighters is not good. It is necessary to explore effective approaches to help preventing and treating mental disorder in firefighters.Keywords: firefighter, mental health, depression, anxiety, influencing factorshttps://www.dovepress.com/factors-influencing-the-mental-health-of-firefighters-in-shantou-city--peer-reviewed-article-PRBMfirefightermental healthdepressionanxietyinfluencing factors |
| spellingShingle | Chen X Zhang L Peng Z Chen S Factors Influencing the Mental Health of Firefighters in Shantou City, China Psychology Research and Behavior Management firefighter mental health depression anxiety influencing factors |
| title | Factors Influencing the Mental Health of Firefighters in Shantou City, China |
| title_full | Factors Influencing the Mental Health of Firefighters in Shantou City, China |
| title_fullStr | Factors Influencing the Mental Health of Firefighters in Shantou City, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors Influencing the Mental Health of Firefighters in Shantou City, China |
| title_short | Factors Influencing the Mental Health of Firefighters in Shantou City, China |
| title_sort | factors influencing the mental health of firefighters in shantou city china |
| topic | firefighter mental health depression anxiety influencing factors |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/factors-influencing-the-mental-health-of-firefighters-in-shantou-city--peer-reviewed-article-PRBM |
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