The relationship between burnout, PTSD symptoms and injuries in firefighters
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Firefighters participate in activities with intense physical and psychological stress. AIMS: To examine the correlation between work-related injuries (WRIs), burnout and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in firefighters. METHODS: The method used for the recording of the elements was the collection of self-report anonymous questionnaires, the completion of which was optional. The questionnaires used were: (i) a WRIs questionnaire, (ii) the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and (iii) the Impact of Event Scale-Revised-Greek version. Descriptive statistics along with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 3289 firefighters. There was a significant association between WRIs, burnout syndrome, PTSD symptoms and age, work experience and physical condition. Relationships were found between PTSD symptoms, the MBI-emotional exhaustion dimension and WRIs and between MBI-depersonalization dimension and PTSD symptoms. The most traumatic event was the 'dealing with death or rescue of a child' and the top stress factor was 'depression about the responsibility for quality of victims' life'. CONCLUSIONS: The occupational obligations may be responsible for the psychological and musculoskeletal problems experienced by firefighters. Early recognition and response to psychosomatic issues in firefighters is of high importance.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Firefighters with PTSD symptoms were significantly more likely to suffer from work-related injuries, chronic musculoskeletal disorders, burnout, and poor physical condition.
“Firefighters with PTSD symptoms were significantly more likely to suffer from work-related injuries, chronic musculoskeletal disorders, burnout, and poor physical condition [65].”
From The Cyclical Battle of Insomnia and Mental Health Impairment in Firefighters: A Narrative Review (2024) · cites this paper as [65]
In a sample of 3289 firefighters, 13% (432) reported symptoms of PTSD.
“In a sample of 3289 firefighters, 13% (i.e., 432) reported symptoms of PTSD [65]”
From The Cyclical Battle of Insomnia and Mental Health Impairment in Firefighters: A Narrative Review (2024) · cites this paper as [65]
Cites
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Williams, J. B. W., & First, M. B. (2013) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.104 · Cited by 109,841 · see citing works
Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W. B., & Leiter, M. P. (2001) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.397 · Cited by 12,852 · see citing works
(1996) · Consulting Psychologists Press eBooks · Cited by 7,863 · see citing works
Assessing psychological trauma and PTSD
(1997) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.34-5966 · Cited by 2,340 · see citing works
Psychological Sequelae of the September 11 Terrorist Attacks in New York City
Galea, S., Ahern, J., Resnick, H. S., Kilpatrick, D. G., Bucuvalas, M. J., Gold, J., & Vlahov, D. (2002) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmsa013404 · Cited by 1,905 · see citing works
Elhai, J. D., Gray, M. J., Kashdan, T. B., & Franklin, C. L. (2005) · Journal of Traumatic Stress · doi:10.1002/jts.20062 · Cited by 383 · see citing works
Heinrichs, M., Wagner, D., Schoch, W., Soravia, L. M., Hellhammer, D. H., & Ehlert, U. (2005) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.162.12.2276 · Cited by 337 · see citing works
Corneil, W., Beaton, R., Murphy, S., Johnson, C., & Pike, K. (1999) · Journal of Occupational Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/1076-8998.4.2.131 · Cited by 336 · see citing works
Corneil, W., Beaton, R. D., Murphy, S. A., Johnson, C., & Pike, K. (1999) · Journal of Occupational Health Psychology · doi:10.1037//1076-8998.4.2.131 · Cited by 336 · see citing works
Work-related post-traumatic stress disorder
Skogstad, M., Skorstad, M., Lie, A., Conradi, H. S. W., Heir, T., & Weisæth, L. (2013) · Occupational Medicine · doi:10.1093/occmed/kqt003 · Cited by 257 · see citing works
The impact of traumatic events on emergency room nurses: Findings from a questionnaire survey
Adriaenssens, J., Gucht, V. D., & Stan Maes, A. (2012) · International Journal of Nursing Studies · doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2012.07.003 · Cited by 238 · see citing works
Individual Predictors of Traumatic Reactions in Firefighters
Regehr, C., HILL, J., & Glancy, G. (2000) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/00005053-200006000-00003 · Cited by 198 · see citing works
Assessing psychological trauma and PTSD, 2nd ed.
Wilson, J. P., & Keane, T. M. (2004) · Cited by 130 · see citing works
Mitani, S., Fujita, M., Nakata, K., & Shirakawa, T. (2006) · Journal of Emergency Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2005.08.008 · Cited by 116 · see citing works
Briere, J. (2004) · American Psychological Association eBooks · doi:10.1037/10809-000 · Cited by 116 · see citing works
Psychological Assessment of Adult Posttraumatic States: Phenomenology, Diagnosis, and Measurement
Briere, J. (2004) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 110 · see citing works
Kim, M. G., Kim, K., Ryoo, J., & Yoo, S.-W. (2013) · Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine · doi:10.1186/2052-4374-25-9 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Psychometric Properties of the Impact of Event Scale in Greek Cancer Patients
Mystakidou, K., Tsilika, E., Parpa, E., Galanos, A., & Vlahos, L. J. (2007) · Journal of Pain and Symptom Management · doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2006.09.023 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Epidemiology of injuries to wildland firefighters
Britton, C., Lynch, C. F., Ramirez, M. R., Torner, J. C., Buresh, C. T., & Peek-Asa, C. L. (2012) · The American Journal of Emergency Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2012.08.032 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Work Activities and the Onset of First-Time Low Back Pain among New York City Fire Fighters
Nuwayhid, I. A., Stewart, W. F., & Johnson, J. V. (1993) · American Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a116707 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
van der Velden, P. G., van Loon, P., Benight, C. C., & Eckhardt, T. (2012) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2012.02.017 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
A review of risk factors of accidental slips, trips, and falls among firefighters
Kong, P. W., Suyama, J., & Hostler, D. P. (2013) · Safety Science · doi:10.1016/j.ssci.2013.07.016 · Cited by 67 · see citing works
The meaning of traumatic events as described by nurses in ambulance service
Jönsson, A., & Segesten, K. M. (2003) · Accident and Emergency Nursing · doi:10.1016/s0965-2302(02)00217-5 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Dirkzwager, A., Yzermans, J., & Kessels, F. J. M. (2004) · Occupational and Environmental Medicine · doi:10.1136/oem.2003.012021 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Brondolo, E. N., Wellington, R. L., Brady, N., Libby, D. J., & Brondolo, T. J. (2007) · Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2007.04.007 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Work-related risk factors for low back pain in firefighters. Is exercise helpful?
Katsavouni, F., Bebetsos, E., Antonıou, P., Malliou, P., & Beneka, A. G. (2014) · Sport Sciences for Health · doi:10.1007/s11332-013-0167-4 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Self-citationWork-related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Firefighters
Kang, S., & Kim, W. (2008) · Journal of Korean Medical Association · doi:10.5124/jkma.2008.51.12.1111 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Biomechanical evaluation of heavy tool-handling in two age groups of firemen
Lusa, S., Louhevaara, V., Smolander, J., et al. (1991) · Ergonomics · doi:10.1080/00140139108964887 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
[Temporary work disability among firemen employed in rescue and fire brigades].
Szubert, Z., & Sobala, W. (2000) · PubMed · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Exposures to potentially traumatic events among public safety personnel in Canada
Carleton, R. N., Afifi, T. O., Taillieu, T., Turner, S., Krakauer, R., Anderson, G. S., MacPhee, R. S., Ricciardelli, R., Cramm, H. A., Groll, D., et al. (2019) · Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement · doi:10.1037/cbs0000115 · Cited by 324 · see citing works
The costs and losses of wildfires: a literature survey
Thomas, D., Butry, D., Gilbert, S., Webb, D., & Fung, J. (2017) · doi:10.6028/nist.sp.1215 · Cited by 202 · see citing works
Tao, Y., Liu, X., Hou, W., Niu, H., Wang, S., Ma, Z., Bi, D., & Zhang, L. (2022) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.901686 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Patel, H., Easterbrook, B., D'Alessandro-Lowe, A. M., Andrews, K., Ritchie, K., Hosseiny, F., Rodrigues, S., Malain, A., O’Connor, C., Schielke, H., et al. (2023) · European Journal of Psychotraumatology · doi:10.1080/20008066.2023.2180706 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Post-traumatic stress symptoms in an Italian cohort of subjects complaining occupational stress
Buselli, R., Carmassi, C., Corsi, M., Baldanzi, S., Battistini, G., Chiumiento, M., Massimetti, G., Dell’Osso, L., & Cristaudo, A. (2021) · CNS Spectrums · doi:10.1017/s1092852920001595 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
The Cyclical Battle of Insomnia and Mental Health Impairment in Firefighters: A Narrative Review
Holland-Winkler, A. M., Greene, D. R., & Oberther, T. J. (2024) · Journal of Clinical Medicine · doi:10.3390/jcm13082169 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
- Authors
- Katsavouni, F., Bebetsos, E., Malliou, P., & Beneka, A.
- Affiliations
- Democritus University of Thrace (GR)
- ORCID
- Bebetsos, E.
- Venue
- Occupational Medicine
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2015-09-25
- Volume
- 66
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 32-37
- ISSN
- 0962-7480 (ISSN-L)
- 1471-8405
- OpenAlex
- W2253721446
- Cited by
- 144
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 2
- FWCI
- 16.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Occupational Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Health and Performance
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Stress and Burnout Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Keywords
- firefighters, burnout, post-traumatic stress disorder, occupational injuries, occupational stress, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, musculoskeletal injuries, traumatic events, psychological stress, psychosomatic disorders
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Burnout, Professional, Depression, Emotions, Mental Fatigue, Female, Fires, Humans, Job Satisfaction, Male, Middle Aged, Occupational Diseases, Surveys and Questionnaires, Social Responsibility, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Stress, Psychological, Work, Wounds and Injuries, Logistic Models, Occupational Exposure, Young Adult, Firefighters
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
