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Strack JE, Torres VA, Pennington ML, Cardenas MN, Dupree J, Meyer EC, Dolan S, Kruse MI, Synett SJ, Kimbrel NA, Gulliver SB. Psychological distress and line-of-duty head injuries in firefighters. Occup Med (Lond) 2021; 71:99-104. [PMID: 33598694 DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqab013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Head injuries are common injury in the fire service; however, very little data exist on the risks this may pose to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in this high-risk population. AIMS Our study aimed to compare levels of PTSD and depression symptoms in firefighters with a line-of-duty head injury, non-line-of-duty head injury and no head injury. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, we assessed current PTSD and depression symptoms as well as retrospective head injuries. RESULTS Seventy-six per cent of the total sample reported at least one head injury in their lifetime. Depression symptoms were significantly more severe among firefighters with a line-of-duty head injury compared to those with no head injury, but not compared to those who sustained a non-line-of-duty head injury. Depression symptoms did not differ between firefighters with a non-line-of-duty head injury and those with no head injury. PTSD symptoms were significantly more severe among firefighters with a line-of-duty head injury compared to both firefighters with no head injury and those with a non-line-of-duty head injury. CONCLUSIONS We found that firefighters who reported at least one line-of-duty head injury had significantly higher levels of PTSD and depression symptoms than firefighters who reported no head injuries. Our findings also suggest head injuries sustained outside of fire service could have less of an impact on the firefighter's PTSD symptom severity than head injuries that occur as a direct result of their job.
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Affiliation(s)
- J E Strack
- Warriors Research Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Waco, TX, USA
| | - V A Torres
- University of Mississippi, University Park, Mississippi, USA
| | - M L Pennington
- Warriors Research Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Waco, TX, USA
| | - M N Cardenas
- Warriors Research Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Waco, TX, USA
| | - J Dupree
- Warriors Research Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Waco, TX, USA
| | - E C Meyer
- Warriors Research Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Waco, TX, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Temple, TX, USA.,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | - S Dolan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | - M I Kruse
- Austin Fire Department and Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services, Austin, TX, USA
| | - S J Synett
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Denver, CO, USA
| | - N A Kimbrel
- Durham Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - S B Gulliver
- Warriors Research Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Waco, TX, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Temple, TX, USA
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Gulliver SB, Zimering RT, Dobani F, Pennington ML, Morissette SB, Kamholz BW, Knight JA, Keane TM, Kimbrel NA, Carpenter TP, Meyer EC. Alcohol use and mental health symptoms in female firefighter recruits. Occup Med (Lond) 2019; 69:625-631. [PMID: 32025738 PMCID: PMC7021091 DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqaa015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Limited research suggests that female firefighters report problem drinking at higher rates than the general population. AIMS To identify longitudinal drinking patterns in female firefighters, make comparisons to male firefighters and examine problem drinking in relation to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. METHODS Study participants included 33 female and 289 male firefighter recruits, who were assessed over their first 3 years of fire service. RESULTS Female firefighters consumed increasing numbers of drinks per week, with a median of 0.90 drinks per week at baseline, and 1.27 drinks in year 3. Female firefighters reported binge drinking at high rates, with nearly half binging at least once per year across all time points (44-74%). The percentage that reported binge drinking three or more times per month doubled over the course of the study (from 9% to 18%). Overall, males reported higher rates of binge drinking and a greater number of drinks per week; however, binge drinking rates among females increased over time and became comparable to rates of binge drinking among males. A greater percentage of female than male firefighters met the criteria for problem drinking by year 1. Problem drinking was associated with screening positive for PTSD at year 1 and depression at year 2, but not with occupational injury. CONCLUSIONS Over time, female firefighters reported increasing amounts of drinking, more frequent binge drinking and more negative consequences from drinking. These findings along with existing literature indicate female firefighters change their drinking in the direction of their male counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- S B Gulliver
- Warriors Research Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Waco, TX, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Temple, TX, USA
| | - R T Zimering
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - F Dobani
- Warriors Research Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Waco, TX, USA
| | - M L Pennington
- Warriors Research Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Waco, TX, USA
| | - S B Morissette
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - B W Kamholz
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J A Knight
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- National Center for PTSD, Boston, MA, USA
| | - T M Keane
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- National Center for PTSD, Boston, MA, USA
| | - N A Kimbrel
- Durham Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - T P Carpenter
- School of Psychology, Family, and Community, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - E C Meyer
- Warriors Research Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Waco, TX, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Temple, TX, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
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