Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2008

Open Access 01-12-2008 | Research article

Health problems and help-seeking in a nationwide sample of operational Norwegian ambulance personnel

Authors: Tom Sterud, Erlend Hem, Øivind Ekeberg, Bjørn Lau

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2008

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

To estimate the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms, and their association with professional help-seeking, among operational ambulance personnel and a general working population, and to study the symptoms of musculoskeletal pain and disturbed sleep among ambulance personnel.

Methods

The results of a comprehensive nationwide questionnaire survey of operational ambulance personnel (n = 1180) were compared with the findings of a population-based Norwegian health study of working people (n = 31,987). The questionnaire included measures of help-seeking, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Subjective Health Complaints Questionnaire, the Karolinska Sleep Questionnaire and the Need for Recovery after Work Scale.

Results

Compared with those in the reference population, the mean of level anxiety symptoms in the ambulance sample was lower for men (3.5 vs. 3.9, P <0.001) and women (4.0 vs. 4.4, P <0.05), and the mean level of depression symptoms in ambulance workers was lower for men (2.3 vs. 2.8, P <0.05) but not for women (2.9 vs. 3.1, P = 0.22). A model adjusted for anxiety and depression symptoms indicated that ambulance personnel had lower levels of help-seeking except for seeing a chiropractor (12% vs. 5%, P <0.01). In the ambulance sample, symptoms of musculoskeletal pain were most consistently associated with help-seeking. In the adjusted model, only symptoms of disturbed sleep were associated with help-seeking from a psychologist/psychiatrist (total sample = 2.3%). Help-seeking was more often reported by women but was largely unaffected by age.

Conclusion

The assumption that ambulance personnel have more anxiety and depression symptoms than the general working population was not supported. The level of musculoskeletal pain and, accordingly, the level of help-seeking from a chiropractor were higher for ambulance workers. More research should address the physical strains among ambulance personnel.
Literature
1.
Bennett P, Williams Y, Page N, Hood K, Woollard M: Levels of mental health problems among UK emergency ambulance workers. Emerg Med J. 2004, 21: 235-236. 10.1136/emj.2003.005645.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
2.
Alexander DA, Klein S: Ambulance personnel and critical incidents: impact of accident and emergency work on mental health and emotional well-being. Br J Psychiatry. 2001, 178: 76-81. 10.1192/bjp.178.1.76.CrossRefPubMed
3.
Johnson S, Cooper C, Cartwright S, Donald I, Taylor P, Millet C: The experience of work-related stress across occupations. J Manage Psych. 2005, 20: 178-187.CrossRef
4.
5.
Mojtabai R, Olfson M, Mechanic D: Perceived need and help-seeking in adults with mood, anxiety, or substance use disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2002, 59: 77-84. 10.1001/archpsyc.59.1.77.CrossRefPubMed
6.
Tyssen R, Rovik JO, Vaglum P, Gronvold NT, Ekeberg O: Help-seeking for mental health problems among young physicians: is it the most ill that seeks help? - A longitudinal and nationwide study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2004, 39: 989-993. 10.1007/s00127-004-0831-8.CrossRefPubMed
7.
Galdas PM, Cheater F, Marshall P: Men and health help-seeking behaviour: literature review. J Adv Nurs. 2005, 49: 616-623. 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2004.03331.x.CrossRefPubMed
8.
Berg AM, Hem E, Lau B, Ekeberg O: Help-seeking in the Norwegian Police Service. J Occup Health. 2006, 48: 145-153. 10.1539/joh.48.145.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Kessler RC, McGonagle KA, Zhao S, Nelson CB, Hughes M, Eshleman S, Wittchen HU, Kendler KS: Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders in the United States. Results from the National Comorbidity Survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1994, 51: 8-19.CrossRefPubMed
10.
Ohayon MM: Specific characteristics of the pain/depression association in the general population. J Clin Psychiatry. 2004, 65 Suppl 12: 5-9.PubMed
11.
Ohayon MM, Roth T: What are the contributing factors for insomnia in the general population?. J Psychosom Res. 2001, 51: 745-755. 10.1016/S0022-3999(01)00285-9.CrossRefPubMed
12.
Demyttenaere K, Bonnewyn A, Bruffaerts R, Brugha T, De Graaf R, Alonso J: Comorbid painful physical symptoms and depression: prevalence, work loss, and help seeking. J Affect Disord. 2006, 92: 185-193. 10.1016/j.jad.2006.01.007.CrossRefPubMed
13.
Okada N, Ishii N, Nakata M, Nakayama S: Occupational stress among Japanese emergency medical technicians: Hyogo Prefecture. Prehospital Disaster Med. 2005, 20: 115-121.CrossRefPubMed
14.
Akerstedt T: Shift work and disturbed sleep/wakefulness. Occup Med. 2003, 53: 89-94. 10.1093/occmed/kqg046.CrossRef
15.
Holmen J, Midthjell K, Krüger , Langhammer A, Holmen TL, Bratberg GH, Vatten L, Lund-Larsen PG: The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study 1995-97 (HUNT 2): Objectives, contents, methods and participation. Norwegian Journal of Epidemiology. 2007, 13: 19-32.
16.
Zigmond AS, Snaith RP: The hospital anxiety and depression scale. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1983, 67: 361-370. 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1983.tb09716.x.CrossRefPubMed
17.
Bjelland I, Dahl AA, Haug TT, Neckelmann D: The validity of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. An updated literature review. J Psychosom Res. 2002, 52: 69-77. 10.1016/S0022-3999(01)00296-3.CrossRefPubMed
18.
Akerstedt T, Knutsson A, Westerholm P, Theorell T, Alfredsson L, Kecklund G: Sleep disturbances, work stress and work hours: a cross-sectional study. J Psychosom Res. 2002, 53: 741-748. 10.1016/S0022-3999(02)00333-1.CrossRefPubMed
19.
Fahlen G, Knutsson A, Peter R, Akerstedt T, Nordin M, Alfredsson L, Westerholm P: Effort-reward imbalance, sleep disturbances and fatigue. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2006, 79: 371-378. 10.1007/s00420-005-0063-6.CrossRefPubMed
20.
Akerstedt T, Knutsson A, Westerholm P, Theorell T, Alfredsson L, Kecklund G: Mental fatigue, work and sleep. J Psychosom Res. 2004, 57: 427-433. 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2003.12.001.CrossRefPubMed
21.
Ursin H, Endresen IM, Ursin G: Psychological factors and self-reports of muscle pain. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1988, 57 (3): 282-290. 10.1007/BF00635986.CrossRefPubMed
22.
Aasland OG, Olff M, Falkum E, Schweder T, Ursin H: Health complaints and job stress in Norwegian physicians: the use of an overlapping questionnaire design. Soc Sci Med. 1997, 45: 1615-1629. 10.1016/S0277-9536(97)00093-2.CrossRefPubMed
23.
Eriksen HR, Ihlebaek C, Ursin H: A scoring system for subjective health complaints (SHC). Scand J Public Health. 1999, 27: 63-72. 10.1080/14034949950153931. [http://]CrossRefPubMed
24.
Sluiter JK, de Croon EM, Meijman TF, Frings-Dresen MH: Need for recovery from work related fatigue and its role in the development and prediction of subjective health complaints. Occup Environ Med. 2003, 60 Suppl 1: i62-i70. 10.1136/oem.60.suppl_1.i62.CrossRefPubMed
25.
de Croon EM, Sluiter JK, Frings-Dresen MH: Psychometric properties of the Need for Recovery after work scale: test-retest reliability and sensitivity to detect change. Occup Environ Med. 2006, 63: 202-206. 10.1136/oem.2004.018275.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
26.
Clohessy S, Ehlers A: PTSD symptoms, response to intrusive memories and coping in ambulance service workers. Br J Clin Psychol. 1999, 38: 251-265. 10.1348/014466599162836.CrossRefPubMed
27.
28.
Regehr C, Goldberg G, Hughes J: Exposure to human tragedy, empathy, and trauma in ambulance paramedics. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2002, 72: 505-513. 10.1037/0002-9432.72.4.505.CrossRefPubMed
29.
Mock EF, Wrenn KD, Wright SW, Eustis TC, Slovis CM: Anxiety levels in EMS providers: effects of violence and shifts schedules. Am J Emerg Med. 1999, 17: 509-511. 10.1016/S0735-6757(99)90186-9.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Ihlebaek C, Eriksen HR, Ursin H: Prevalence of subjective health complaints (SHC) in Norway. Scand J Public Health. 2002, 30: 20-29.CrossRefPubMed
31.
Aasa U, Brulin C, Angquist KA, Barnekow-Bergkvist M: Work-related psychosocial factors, worry about work conditions and health complaints among female and male ambulance personnel. Scand J Caring Sci. 2005, 19: 251-258. 10.1111/j.1471-6712.2005.00333.x.CrossRefPubMed
32.
Haug TT, Mykletun A, Dahl AA: The association between anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms in a large population: the HUNT-II study. Psychosom Med. 2004, 66: 845-851. 10.1097/01.psy.0000145823.85658.0c.CrossRefPubMed
33.
Simon GE, VonKorff M, Piccinelli M, Fullerton C, Ormel J: An international study of the relation between somatic symptoms and depression. N Engl J Med. 1999, 341: 1329-1335. 10.1056/NEJM199910283411801.CrossRefPubMed
34.
Oliver MI, Pearson N, Coe N, Gunnell D: Help-seeking behaviour in men and women with common mental health problems: cross-sectional study. Br J Psychiatry. 2005, 186: 297-301. 10.1192/bjp.186.4.297.CrossRefPubMed
35.
Addis ME, Mahalik JR: Men, masculinity, and the contexts of help seeking. Am Psychol. 2003, 58: 5-14. 10.1037/0003-066X.58.1.5.CrossRefPubMed
36.
Bakke P: Postal survey on airborne occupational exposure and respiratory disorders in Norway: causes and consequences of non-response. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1990, 44: 316-320.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
37.
Tennant A: A confidence interval approach to investigating non-response bias and monitoring response to postal questionnaires. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1991, 45: 81-85.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
Metadata
Title
Health problems and help-seeking in a nationwide sample of operational Norwegian ambulance personnel
Authors
Tom Sterud
Erlend Hem
Øivind Ekeberg
Bjørn Lau
Publication date
01-12-2008
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2008
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-8-3

Other articles of this Issue 1/2008

BMC Public Health 1/2008 Go to the issue

Research article

Development and validation of psychosocial determinants measures of physical activity among Iranian adolescent girls

Research article

Planning ahead in public health? A qualitative study of the time horizons used in public health decision-making

Research article

Does transition from an unstable labour market position to permanent employment protect mental health? Results from a 14-year follow-up of school-leavers

Research article

Diagnosis of sustainable collaboration in health promotion – a case study

Research article

Influenza vaccination coverage rates in five European countries during season 2006/07 and trends over six consecutive seasons

Research article

Voluntary HIV counselling and testing among men in rural western Uganda: Implications for HIV prevention