@article {bnh-7880, title = {Mental health and wellbeing of Australian police and emergency services employees}, journal = {Archives of Environmental \& Occupational Health}, year = {2021}, month = {03/2021}, abstract = {

Answering the Call, the Australian National Police and Emergency Services Mental Health and Wellbeing Study, surveyed 14,868 Australian ambulance, fire and rescue, police, and state emergency service employees. Emergency services personnel had lower rates of mental wellbeing and higher rates of psychological distress and probable PTSD than the general adult population. Overall 30\% had low wellbeing, 21\% had high and 9\% had very high psychological distress, and 10\% had probable PTSD. An estimated 5\% had suicidal ideation and 2\% had a suicide plan in the past 12 months, while 16\% binge drink at least weekly. Only one in five of those with very high psychological distress or probable PTSD felt they received adequate support for their condition. These findings highlight the risk of mental health conditions associated with work in the emergency services sector.

}, keywords = {Ambulance, common mental disorders, firefighters, mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychological distress, service users, stigma and discrimination}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/19338244.2021.1893631}, url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19338244.2021.1893631?journalCode=vaeh20}, author = {Michael Kyron and Wavne Rikkers and Jennifer Bartlett and Emma Renehan and Katherine Hafekost and Michael Baigent and Rebecca Cunneen and David Lawrence} } @article {bnh-7041, title = {Prevalence and predictors of suicidal thoughts and behaviours among Australian police and emergency services employees}, journal = { Australian \& New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry}, year = {2020}, month = {07/2020}, abstract = {

Objective:

This study presents rates of suicide thoughts and behaviours of police and emergency services personnel around Australia. In addition, it examines personal (i.e. mental health, substance use) and working environment risk and protective factors.

Method:

A stratified random sample of personnel from 33 Australian emergency services organisations were invited to participate in a mental health and wellbeing survey. In total, 14,868 Australian ambulance, fire and rescue, police and state emergency services employees participated and self-reported any suicidal thoughts, plans and/or attempts in the 12 months prior to the survey or at any stage in their life. Logistic regressions assessed factors associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviours.

Results:

Employees reported notably higher rates of suicidal thoughts and plans than the general Australian adult population, but not attempts. Male, single/divorced, non-heterosexual or longer-serving employees reported higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviours across each sector. Perceptions of stigma regarding mental health conditions from others in the workplace, negative impact of work on one{\textquoteright}s private life and low meaning of work were associated with suicidal thoughts, while bullying significantly differentiated who planned and attempted suicide from those who reported suicidal thoughts only. Higher resilience and social support were associated with lower suicidal thoughts, while intermittent explosive anger and illegal drug use were associated with higher rates of suicidal thoughts. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms significantly differentiated who planned suicide, while misuse of prescription drugs and psychological distress differentiated who attempted suicide from those who only reported suicidal thoughts.

Conclusion:

Amid inherently stressful occupations, it is important that workplaces function in a way that supports their personnel. Access to mental health services should be promoted and readily available to personnel.

}, keywords = {Ambulance, depression, firefighters, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867420937774}, url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0004867420937774}, author = {Michael Kyron and Wavne Rikkers and Andrew Page and Patrice O{\textquoteright}Brien and Jennifer Bartlett and Anthony LaMontagne and David Lawrence} } @conference {bnh-6401, title = {Fit for Duty pilot: ensuring the safety of CFA members and increasing access to health services}, booktitle = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC Research Day AFAC19}, year = {2019}, month = {12/2019}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

The physically and psychologically demanding nature of the tasks performed by operational firefighters in fire and rescue agencies across Australia place greater risks to health of personnel than in usual circumstances. Evidence demonstrates that individuals with underlying health issues are at greater risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event (heart attack, cardiac arrest, stroke etc.) or physical injury when performing activities of moderate to vigorous intensity. A recent Beyond Blue and Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC survey of emergency services members highlighted a greater number of mental health issues than the average for other areas of employment. Therefore, ensuring that all employees and volunteers are physically and psychologically capable of performing their roles in a safe manner is imperative.

Guaranteeing that individuals have support and access to services that could act to identify early signs and symptoms is critical to this process. The Fit for Duty Program acknowledges that it is not known whether CFA volunteer firefighters are safe to carry out their operational roles from a holistic health perspective and as a result, intervention is required. In the pilot phase of the Fit for Duty program, several approaches were trialled for medical assessments. CFA have partnered with Deakin University to develop task-based physical assessment activities that represent the wider range of tasks required for wildfire firefighting. These activities were reviewed by volunteer members who set the benchmarks for the assessment. It is envisaged that the physical assessment component will be broadened to include other higher risk areas of structural firefighting and technical response. An awareness, education and support approach was adopted for the psychological component which incorporates new and existing CFA Wellbeing education and support programs.

}, keywords = {firefighters, Health, mental health, personnel, volunteers}, url = {https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/australian-journal-of-emergency-management-monograph-series/}, author = {Georgia Thacker and Rohan Luke and Emma Court} } @article {bnh-5503, title = {Salivary cortisol profiles of on-call from home fire and emergency service personnel}, journal = {The International Journal on the Biology of Stress}, year = {2019}, month = {04/2019}, abstract = {

Working on-call with a night call resulted in a depressed (lower) cortisol awakening response (CAR) peak and post-awakening cortisol area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCG) the following day compared to when off-call. This may be due to exposure to noise, physical exertion, and stressful events during night callouts. There was no anticipatory effect to working on-call in any of the cortisol measures examined. This study, of male fire and emergency service workers who operate on-call from home, had two aims: (1) examine CAR and diurnal cortisol profile following a night on-call with a call, on-call without a call, and off-call; and, (2) explore whether there is an anticipatory effect of working on-call from home on diurnal cortisol profiles. Participants wore activity monitors, completed sleep and work diaries and collected seven saliva samples a day (0 min, 30 min, 60 min, 3 h, 6 h, 9 h, and 12 h after final awakening) for one week. CAR peak, reactivity and area under the curve with respect to increase (AUCI), post-awakening cortisol AUCG, diurnal cortisol slope and AUCG, and mean 12-h cortisol concentrations were calculated. The final analysis included 26 participants for Aim 1 (22 off-call nights, 68 nights on-call without a call, and 20 nights on-call with a call) and 14 participants for Aim 2 (25 days leading up to a night off-call and 92 days leading up to a night on-call). Generalized estimating equations models were constructed for each variable of interest. Aim 1: CAR peak and post-awakening cortisol AUCG\ were 8.2 {\textpm} 3.4 nmol/L and 5.7 {\textpm} 2.4 units lower, respectively, following a night on-call with a call compared to an off-call night. Aim 2: the day before a night on-call was not a significant predictor in any model. The lower CAR peak and post-awakening cortisol AUCG\ following a night on-call with a call compared to following an off-call night may be due to exposure to noise, physical exertion, and stressful events during night callouts. The lack of difference between the day before a night on-call and the day before an off-call night suggests there may not be an anticipatory effect on cortisol when on-call from home.

}, keywords = {Cortisol awakening response (CAR), distal on-call, diurnal cortisol profile, firefighters, home call, state emergency service workers}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/10253890.2019.1584178}, url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/yDhRfifePuVq2Fxf8MCZ/full?target=10.1080\%2F10253890.2019.1584178\&}, author = {Sarah J Hall and Anne I. Turner and Sam J Robertson and Sally Ferguson and Brad Aisbett} } @mastersthesis {bnh-4632, title = {Fighting fires and fatigue: sleep, physical activity, and physical task performance}, year = {2015}, month = {05/2015}, school = {Deakin University}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

Wildfires are any uncontrolled, non-structural burning in grass, scrub, bush, or forests. Wildfires can have a debilitating impact on communities in North America, South America, Southern Europe, and Australia, with the loss of property, livestock, and human life. The financial burden of wildfire is immense. For example, the average annual cost of wildfire in Australia is $77 million (AUD). Globally, the frequency, duration, and severity of wildfires is predicted to escalate, due, at least in part, to climate change resulting in hotter and drier summers. The increase in wildfire activity will result in more frequent and/or longer deployments which may exacerbate the cognitive and physical demands placed on wildland firefighting personnel.

}, keywords = {bushfires, emergency management., fatigue, firefighters, fires, Sleep}, url = {http://dro.deakin.edu.au/eserv/DU:30079447/vincent-fightingfires-2015A.pdf}, author = {Grace Vincent} } @mastersthesis {bnh-4631, title = {Sleep restriction across a simulated firefighting deployment: The impact on acute stress responses}, year = {2015}, month = {12/2015}, pages = {317}, school = {Deakin University}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

Exposure to stressors set in motion inflammatory, cortisol, heart rate and mood responses that allow the body to maintain normal healthy function. Severe or chronic stressors however, may adversely alter the action of these stress responses and lead to adverse health outcomes. Periods of sleep restriction and performing physical work are two stressors routinely faced by wildland firefighters, yet the combined impact that these demands have on firefighters{\textquoteright} acute stress responses is poorly understood. Therefore, the objective of this thesis was to investigate the effect of physical firefighting work and sleep restriction on firefighters{\textquoteright} cytokine, cortisol and heart rate responses, their interactions, and how mood may influence any observed physiological changes.

}, keywords = {Emergency management, firefighters, physiological., Sleep, sleep deprivation}, url = {http://dro.deakin.edu.au/eserv/DU:30083644/wolkow-sleeprestriction-2015A.pdf}, author = {Alexander Wolkow} }