Psychosocial risk factors and post-traumatic stress disorder in first responders to emergency workers

Abstract

Emergency first responders get exposed to multiple risks inherent to their work. Some of these include the psychosocial risk factor with a high prevalence of stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, exhaustion, and fatigue. These risks arise from emergency first responders having to deal with patients in critical situations under adverse conditions typical of external and unprotected environments, as well as with the particular working conditions in the institutions where they work. The main objective of this study is to describe the influence of psychosocial risk factors and the presence of post-traumatic stress disorder on the mental health of emergency first responders. The methodology included an exhaustive literature review on the first responder’s exposure to psychosocial risk factors, work-related stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The results suggest that the latter is a frequent consequence of exposure to psychosocial risk factors. These results suggest that being permanently exposed to stressful situations can affect their mental health. Likewise, the management and evaluation of psychosocial risk factors allow for recognizing labor conditions and lead the implementation of intervention protocols focused on the most relevant aspects that affect the mental health of these workers.