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Occupational Stress among Japanese Emergency Medical Technicians: Hyogo Prefecture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Naoki Okada ,
Noboru Ishii ,
Minori Nakata  and
Shinichi Nakayama
Naoki Okada*
Affiliation:
Department of Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
Noboru Ishii
Affiliation:
Department of Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
Minori Nakata
Affiliation:
Center for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Gävle, Sweden
Shinichi Nakayama
Affiliation:
Hyogo Prefecture Emergency Medical Center, Japan
*
MD 7-5-1, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, 650-0017, Japan E-mail: naoki@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
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Abstract

Introduction:

As prehospital care became emphasized in emergency medical services in Japan, qualification as a “paramedic” was established in 1991 as a requirement for national qualification as a emergency medical technician (EMT).With recent increases in emergency transportation, the responsibilities of paramedics have become more complex and demand a higher level of competency; however, no method of evaluating occupational stress among Japanese EMTs currently exists.

Methods:

A questionnaire survey of the working conditions and health of 2,017 EMTs in Hyogo Prefecture was conducted. To analyze stress levels among these EMTs, the survey was divided into two categories: (1) physical stress; and (2) mental stress.

Results:

The number of responses was 1,551 (76.9%) and the average age of the respondents was 35.4 years. The lower back, neck, and shoulders were most frequently subjected to physical stress, which was related to the daily operations as an EMT. Mental stress was reported more frequently by those who were older or qualified paramedics.

Discussion:

The high frequency of lower back pain suggests the need for improvement in the work environment and periodic education.

Conclusions:

Although job satisfaction among paramedics was high, they were exposed to greater mental stress. Therefore, systematic management of stress must be developed and established.

Keywords

emergency medical serviceemergency medical technicianmental stressoccupational stressparamedic, questionnaire surveysomatic stressstress management
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 20 , Issue 2 , April 2005 , pp. 115 - 121
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2005

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