Search

Individuals who perform rescue and recovery duties, as part of their daily work activities, confront diverse stressors that can affect their mental state and overall well-being. The study aimed to assess the prevalence and the factors associated with self-assessed PTSD, perceived well-being and burnout among rescue workers operating at Lesvos during the European refugees crisis. 217 rescuers participated in the study, while the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C), the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Well-being Index (WHO-5) were utilized. The prevalence of self-assessed PTSD and perceived burnout syndrome was 17.1% and 57% respectively, while 72.8% of the rescuers reported low levels of perceived well-being. Self-assessed PTSD was positively correlated with perceived burnout and inversely correlated with perceived well-being. Perceived burnout was also inversely correlated with perceived well-being. A number of significant predictors were identified for self-assessed PTSD, perceived burnout and well-being, including: family status, age, duration of shifts, collection of dead adults or dead children bodies. The impact of the refugee crisis is visible on the rescue workers that offer rescue and first aid services. There is an urgent need for implementing effective interventions focusing on the identified determinants in order to enhance the occupational psychological burden of rescuers., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: During the European refugee crisis, numerous Greek and international rescue workers are operating in Lesvos, offering search, rescue, and first aid services. Exposure to stressful life events while engaging in this rescue work can result in developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The study aimed to assess the prevalence of PTSD and explore potential differences between different categories of rescuers., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 217 rescue workers. Participants were grouped according to affiliation: "Greek Professionals Rescuers/GPR", "International Professionals Rescuers/IPR" and "Volunteer Rescuers/VR". The PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) was utilized. All tests were two-tailed (a = 0.05). Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and multivariate logistic regression were performed., Results: Overall probable PTSD prevalence found was 17.1%. Rates varied significantly per rescuer's category; 23.1% in GPR, 11.8% in IPR, and 14.6% in VR (p = 0.02). GPR demonstrated the highest risk compared to IPR and VR (p < 0.001). Females had approximately two times higher risk. Other significant risk factors included marital status, age, and number of children. Lack of previous experience, longer operation period, longer shift hours, and handling dead refugees and dead children were also considered major risk factors., Conclusions: Rescue workers providing substantial aid to the refugees and migrants at Lesvos experience significant psychological distress. The present findings indicate the urgent need for targeted interventions. Further studies are needed to address long-term effects of the refugee crisis on rescuers, and explore effective measures to prevent PTSD.