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Liu J, Gao J, Wang H, Fan X, Li L, Wang X, Wang X, Lu J, Shi X, Yang P. Acute Neurobehavioral and Glial Responses to Explosion Gas Inhalation in Rats. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39092980 DOI: 10.1002/tox.24389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Military personnel, firefighters, and fire survivors exhibit a higher prevalence of mental health conditions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to the general population. While numerous studies have examined the neurological impacts of physical trauma and psychological stress, research on acute neurobehavioral effects of gas inhalation from explosions or fires is limited. This study investigates the early-stage neurobehavioral and neuronal consequences of acute explosion gas inhalation in Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were exposed to simulated explosive gas and subsequently assessed using behavioral tests and neurobiological analyses. The high-dose exposure group demonstrated significant depression-like behaviors, including reduced mobility and exploration. However, neuronal damage was not evident in histological analyses. Immunofluorescence revealed increased density of radial glia and oligodendrocytes in specific brain regions, suggesting hypoxia and axon damage induced by gas inhalation as a potential mechanism for the observed neurobehavioral changes. These findings underscore the acute impact of explosion gas inhalation on mental health, highlighting the habenula and dentate gyrus of hippocampus as the possible target regions. The findings are expected to support early diagnosis and treatment strategies for brain injuries caused by explosion gas, offering insights into early intervention for depression and PTSD in affected populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinren Liu
- Key Laboratory for Disease Prevention and Control and Health Promotion of Shaanxi Province, School of Public Health, Medical Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Junhong Gao
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, Xi'an, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaolin Fan
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, Xi'an, China
| | - Liang Li
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Biological Effects, Institute for Hygiene of Ordnance Industry, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiangni Wang
- Key Laboratory for Disease Prevention and Control and Health Promotion of Shaanxi Province, School of Public Health, Medical Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiying Wang
- Key Laboratory for Disease Prevention and Control and Health Promotion of Shaanxi Province, School of Public Health, Medical Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jiajia Lu
- Key Laboratory for Disease Prevention and Control and Health Promotion of Shaanxi Province, School of Public Health, Medical Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xingmin Shi
- Key Laboratory for Disease Prevention and Control and Health Promotion of Shaanxi Province, School of Public Health, Medical Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Pinglin Yang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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Wójcik M, Bordoni B, Siatkowski I, Żekanowska E. The Effect of Craniosacral Therapy on Blood Levels of Stress Hormones in Male Firefighter Cadets: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:914. [PMID: 37998661 PMCID: PMC10669461 DOI: 10.3390/bs13110914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Fire department cadets preparing to become firefighters and paramedics experience high levels of stress when participating in incidents like traffic accidents and fires. Stress adversely affects health, and coping with it proves difficult. Unfortunately, there is no single method that reduces stress completely in humans. One non-invasive method for lowering stress hormone levels is craniosacral therapy. (2) Methods: Fifty-seven firefighting cadets aged 18-24 years (21.63 ± 1.41) participated in the study. They were randomly assigned to either a test group or a control group. Participants' blood levels of cortisol and CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone) were assessed before and after the study. The study group underwent 5-week craniosacral therapy (1× per week). (3) Results: The Kruskal-Wallis test showed that the therapy group's results were statistically significant for CRH values (p-value = 0.00067) and for cortisol values (p-value ≤ 0.0001). Wilxocon and Dunn tests showed statistical significance for cortisol after CS therapy between the control and study groups (p = 0.0377), and for CRH between the control and study groups before (p = 0.00634) and after the study (p = 0.000887), and in the study group before and after the study (p = 0.0101). (4) Conclusions: The application of craniosacral therapy reduced stress hormone levels in male firefighter cadets. The results indicate that craniosacral therapy (five sessions, one per week) has an effect on the reduction of stress hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Wójcik
- Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Sport Sciences in Gorzow Wielkopolski, Poznan University of Physical Education, 61-871 Poznan, Poland
| | - Bruno Bordoni
- Department of Cardiology, Foundation Don Carlo Gnocchi IRCCS, Institute of Hospitalization and Care, 20100 Milan, Italy;
| | - Idzi Siatkowski
- Department of Mathematical and Statistical Methods, Poznan University of Life Science, 60-637 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Ewa Żekanowska
- Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland;
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Oliveira J, Aires Dias J, Duarte IC, Caldeira S, Marques AR, Rodrigues V, Redondo J, Castelo-Branco M. Mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder in firefighters: an integrated analysis from an action research study. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1259388. [PMID: 37965662 PMCID: PMC10642162 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1259388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The presence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology in firefighters is an ever-pressing issue that requires close attention for adequate interventions. The present study investigated PTSD and global psychopathology prevalence in a sample of highly risk-exposed Portuguese firefighters, collected after the widespread deadly wildfires in 2017 that ravaged the country. Following an action research approach, the aim of this study was to depict this sample and examine the impact of cumulative adverse experiences on their mental health, which is a phenomenon worth attention. Method From an initial sample of 283 firefighters who manifested interest in participating, a total of 139 firefighters from the Coimbra District, of whom 130 unequivocally experienced a potentially traumatic/adverse event as a firefighter, completed BSI (to obtain indicators on psychopathology), QEPAT (an inventory of adverse events possibly experienced as a firefighter), and PCL-5 (a measure of PTSD symptomatology) through an online survey during the year 2018 by the Regional Medical Organization, as proposed and supervised by the local Centre for Prevention and Treatment of Psychological Trauma (CPTTP). Results We found a global prevalence of 8.6% of possible PTSD and 14.4% of possible psychopathology (n = 139). When considering only firefighters who unequivocally reported a potentially traumatic/adverse event as a firefighter (n = 130), 9.2% present possible PTSD, and 13.8% present possible global psychopathology. This sample experienced a mean of 28 adverse events during firefighting work. Linear regressions (n = 118) demonstrated that the perceived severity of the most traumatic event reported and the experience of more adverse events were both related to an increase in PTSD symptomatology. Global psychopathology was associated with PCL-5 scores, with an emphasis on paranoid ideation, hostility, depression, anxiety, and phobic anxiety. Discussion The severe wildfires of 2017 did not impact PTSD scores in this sample (collected the year after), suggesting that cumulative adverse events are more important than particular episodes. However, the number of reported events was related to PTSD scores. These results can be used to develop interventions that target all firefighters by addressing risk and protective factors. This action research study motivated specialized aid for firefighters involved in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Oliveira
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine (FMUC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Joana Aires Dias
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Isabel Catarina Duarte
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Salomé Caldeira
- Centre for Prevention and Treatment of Psychological Trauma (CPTTP), Department of Psychiatry, Coimbra University Hospital Centre (CHUC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - António Reis Marques
- Centre for Prevention and Treatment of Psychological Trauma (CPTTP), Department of Psychiatry, Coimbra University Hospital Centre (CHUC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Vítor Rodrigues
- Faculty of Medicine (FMUC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Redondo
- Centre for Prevention and Treatment of Psychological Trauma (CPTTP), Department of Psychiatry, Coimbra University Hospital Centre (CHUC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Miguel Castelo-Branco
- Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine (FMUC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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Han SW, Jung HO. Factors Influencing Infection Anxiety in Korean Male Firefighters Due to COVID-19 Infection Status. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11111623. [PMID: 37297762 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11111623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper describes descriptive research to identify the effects of job stress, COVID-19 self-care behavior, and COVID-19 vaccination status according to the infection and non-infection of COVID-19 on anxiety about the COVID-19 infection among firefighters in South Korea. Data from 205 firefighters working at 10 fire stations were collected from 26 January to 16 February 2023. The variables used were job stress, COVID-19 self-care behavior, COVID-19 vaccination status, and COVID-19 infection anxiety. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression. In subjects who were infected with COVID-19, the factors that significantly affected infection anxiety were job stress (β = 0.247, p = 0.011) and self-care behavior (β = 0.343, p = 0.011). In subjects who were not infected with COVID-19, the factors that significantly affected infection anxiety were marriage status (unmarried) (β = -0.260, p = 0.005) and self-care behavior (β = 0.374, p = 0.001). These results demonstrate that the infection anxiety of firefighters should be prevented, and their physical and mental health should be promoted by considering job stress, self-care behavior, and personal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Woo Han
- Department of Nursing, Kwangju Women's University, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju 62396, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Ok Jung
- The Research Institute of Nursing Science, College of Nursing, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu 42472, Republic of Korea
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Wójcik M, Siatkowski I. The effect of cranial techniques on the heart rate variability response to psychological stress test in firefighter cadets. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7780. [PMID: 37179419 PMCID: PMC10183023 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34093-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Heart rate variability (HRV) is a simple tool to monitor cardiovascular stress. The proper function of the cardiovascular system is a problem among firefighters. Physical activity has health benefits correlated with psychological stress. Physically active people should be more resilient to psychological stress, but this has not always been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to determine whether cranial techniques would have an effect on HRV parameters. Osteopathy in the cranium reduces stress and improves cardiovascular function. Fifty-seven firefighter cadets aged 18-24 years (21.63 ± 1.41) participated in the study. All subjects had their heart rate variability measured and were randomly assigned either to the cranial techniques (CS) group, with therapy performed once a week for 5 weeks), or to the control group (CO). After 5 weeks, heart rate variability was measured again in both groups. In the Friedman test, in the CS group there was a statistically significant effect of cranial techniques on Heart Rate (HR) and Low Frequency (LF), but not on High Frequency (HF); in the CO group, a statistically significant difference was observed for HR, HF and LF. In the Nemenyi test, in the CS group there was a statistically significant difference for HR and LF and in the CO group for HR, HF and LF. After applying hierarchical clustering with Euclidean measure and the complete method, dendrograms were drawn up showing similarities for HR, HF and LF values. The cranial techniques and touch might exert a beneficial effect on HRV. Both factors can be used in stressful situations to lower HRV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Wójcik
- Department of Physiotherapy, Poznan University of Physical Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences in Gorzow Wlkp., 61-871, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Idzi Siatkowski
- Department of Mathematical and Statistical Methods, Poznan University of Life Science, 60-637, Poznan, Poland
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Odes R, Chin DL, Li J, Hong O. Association of Occupational Stress With Tinnitus Among Career Firefighters in the United States. J Occup Environ Med 2023; 65:e30-e35. [PMID: 36306205 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000002742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study explores the relationship between occupational stress and tinnitus among firefighters, a group often exposed to two tinnitus risk factors: high stress and noise. METHODS This cross-sectional study includes 240 firefighters in the United States. Data describing demographic characteristics, occupational stress, noise exposure, and tinnitus were collected by survey. Occupational stress was measured using the short version of the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire. RESULTS Forty-three percent of participants reported experiencing tinnitus within the past month. For occupational stress, higher effort (odds ratio, 1.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.05 to 1.49) and higher effort-reward ratio (odds ratio, 12.28; 95% confidence interval, 3.08 to 48.86) were associated with increased odds of tinnitus, after adjustment for demographic characteristics and noise exposure. CONCLUSIONS Occupational stress may increase the likelihood of tinnitus for firefighters, an already at-risk group of workers. Health providers should incorporate stress assessment into tinnitus management programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Odes
- From the Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing Graduate Program, School of Nursing, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California (Drs Odes, Chin, and Hong); National Clinician Scholars Program, Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California (Dr Odes); and Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, School of Nursing, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California (Dr Li)
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Zhang S, Jiang J, Hao L, Yu Y, Zhang Q, Meng H. What matters most? Network analysis of mental health, recovery experiences, sleep, and fatigue among career firefighters. Stress Health 2022. [PMID: 36538510 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Firefighters exhibit a higher prevalence of mental health issues than other occupations because they often directly or indirectly experience potentially traumatic events. Previous research has suggested that recovery experiences, sleep, and fatigue may be protective or risk factors for firefighters' mental health. This study conducted regularised partial correlation network analysis to investigate and visualise the complex relationships between these variables. We collected data through an online survey, and 3144 career firefighters from a large east-coast city in China, were included in the analyses. The results of the network analysis showed that: (1) only relaxation and mastery experiences directly correlated with one dimension of the mental health scale, namely, life/social functioning; (2) sleep quality had stronger correlations with mental health issues than sleep quantity; and (3) mental health issues were central nodes of the network. These results indicated that firefighters' mental health was close to other variables in the network and acted as a bridge linking other variables. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the mental health of firefighters to prevent comorbidities. The study's results also indicated that recovery experiences and sleep may be protective factors for firefighters' mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junying Jiang
- Shanghai General Fire and Rescue Brigade, Shanghai, China
| | - Leilei Hao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Yu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Meng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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Mohd Kamaruzaman AZ, Ibrahim MI, Mokhtar AM, Mohd Zain M, Satiman SN, Yaacob NM. The Effect of Second-Victim-Related Distress and Support on Work-Related Outcomes in Tertiary Care Hospitals in Kelantan, Malaysia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:6454. [PMID: 35682042 PMCID: PMC9180130 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
After a patient safety incident, the involved healthcare providers may experience sustained second-victim distress and reduced professional efficacy, with subsequent negative work-related outcomes and the cultivation of resilience. This study aims to investigate the factors affecting negative work-related outcomes and resilience with a hypothetical triad of support as the mediators: colleague, supervisor, and institutional support. This cross-sectional study recruited 733 healthcare providers from three tertiary care hospitals in Kelantan, Malaysia. Three steps of hierarchical linear regression were developed for both outcomes (negative work-related outcomes and resilience). Four multiple mediator models of the support triad were analyzed. Second-victim distress, professional efficacy, and the support triad contributed significantly in all the regression models. Colleague support partially mediated the relationship defining the effects of professional efficacy on negative work-related outcomes and resilience, whereas colleague and supervisor support partially mediated the effects of second-victim distress on negative work-related outcomes. Similar results were found regarding resilience, with all support triads producing similar results. As mediators, the support triads ameliorated the effect of second-victim distress on negative work-related outcomes and resilience, suggesting an important role of having good support, especially after encountering patient safety incidents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Zulfahmi Mohd Kamaruzaman
- Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia;
| | - Mohd Ismail Ibrahim
- Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia;
| | - Ariffin Marzuki Mokhtar
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia;
| | - Maizun Mohd Zain
- Public Health Unit, Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia;
| | - Saiful Nazri Satiman
- Medical Division, Kelantan State Health Department, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia;
| | - Najib Majdi Yaacob
- Unit of Biostatistics and Research Methodology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia;
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