Safety and Health at Work Vol. 14 Issue 3 2023
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychological Well-Being of Firefighters (Original article)
Dublin Core
Title
Safety and Health at Work Vol. 14 Issue 3 2023
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychological Well-Being of Firefighters (Original article)
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychological Well-Being of Firefighters (Original article)
Subject
COVID-19, firefighters, first responders, physical activity, psychological well-being, restrictive measures
Description
Background: COVID-19 pandemic represented a unique stressful event that affected the physical health and psychological well-being (PWB) of individuals and communities. Monitoring PWB is essential not only to clarify the burden on mental health effects but also to define targeted psychological-supporting measures. This cross-sectional study evaluated the PWB of Italian firefighters during the pandemic.
Methods: Firefighters recruited during the pandemic period filled out a self-administered questionnaire, the Psychological General Well-Being Index, during the health surveillance medical examination. This tool is usually used to assess the global PWB and explores six subdomains: anxiety, depressed mood, positive well-being, self-control, general health, and vitality. The influencing roles of age, gender, working activities, COVID-19, and pandemic restrictive measures were also explored.
Results: A total of 742 firefighters completed the survey. The aggregate median PWB global score was in the “no distress” range (94.3 10.3), which was higher than that observed in studies conducted using the same tool in the Italian general population during the same pandemic period. Similar findings were observed in the specific subdomains, thus suggesting that the investigated population was in good PWB condition. Interestingly, significantly better outcomes were detected in the younger firefighters.
Conclusion: Our data showed a satisfactory PWB situation in firefighters that could be related to different professional factors such as work organization and mental and physical training. In particular, our results would suggest the hypothesis that in firefighters, maintaining a minimum/moderate level of physical
activity (consisting of even just going to work) might have a profoundly positive impact on psychological health and well-being.
Methods: Firefighters recruited during the pandemic period filled out a self-administered questionnaire, the Psychological General Well-Being Index, during the health surveillance medical examination. This tool is usually used to assess the global PWB and explores six subdomains: anxiety, depressed mood, positive well-being, self-control, general health, and vitality. The influencing roles of age, gender, working activities, COVID-19, and pandemic restrictive measures were also explored.
Results: A total of 742 firefighters completed the survey. The aggregate median PWB global score was in the “no distress” range (94.3 10.3), which was higher than that observed in studies conducted using the same tool in the Italian general population during the same pandemic period. Similar findings were observed in the specific subdomains, thus suggesting that the investigated population was in good PWB condition. Interestingly, significantly better outcomes were detected in the younger firefighters.
Conclusion: Our data showed a satisfactory PWB situation in firefighters that could be related to different professional factors such as work organization and mental and physical training. In particular, our results would suggest the hypothesis that in firefighters, maintaining a minimum/moderate level of physical
activity (consisting of even just going to work) might have a profoundly positive impact on psychological health and well-being.
Creator
Elisabetta Riccardi, Luca Fontana , Daniela Pacella, Fabio Fusco, Ilaria Marinaro, Giovanna Costanzo, Francesco Vassallo, Maria Triassi, Ivo Iavicoli
Source
journal homepage: www.e-shaw.net
Publisher
Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency.
Date
21 August 2023
Contributor
Sri Wahyuni
Format
PDF
Language
English
Type
Text
Coverage
Safety and Health at Work Vol. 14 Issue 3 2023
Files
Citation
Elisabetta Riccardi, Luca Fontana , Daniela Pacella, Fabio Fusco, Ilaria Marinaro, Giovanna Costanzo, Francesco Vassallo, Maria Triassi, Ivo Iavicoli , “Safety and Health at Work Vol. 14 Issue 3 2023
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychological Well-Being of Firefighters (Original article),” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed March 12, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/3455.
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychological Well-Being of Firefighters (Original article),” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed March 12, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/3455.