MedPath

Emergency Medical Staff Workload Analysis

Recruiting
Conditions
Work Related Stress
Mental Stress
Stress
PTSD
Medical Emergencies
Interventions
Diagnostic Test: Qualitative & Quantitative Research
Registration Number
NCT06302764
Lead Sponsor
Jagiellonian University
Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to identify trauma determinants and leverage this understanding to develop solutions applicable to the prevention and treatment of PTSD among emergency medical personnel. By categorizing stimuli associated with traumatic professional experiences, the study aims to enhance existing therapeutic protocols through exposure therapy. The specific objectives are as follows:

1. Analysis and characterization of occupational workloads among doctors and emergency medical personnel, focusing on the scale of burdens associated with PTSD symptoms.

2. Development of categories for aggravating and potentially traumatizing stimuli within the medical staff of rescue teams.

3. Examination of the feasibility of incorporating the obtained results into cognitive-behavioral therapy protocols.

4. Assessment of the potential for implementing the results in solutions utilizing virtual reality technology.

5. Formation of an interdisciplinary international research team.

Detailed Description

Background: Data on the impact of workloads indicate that emergency medical personnel exposed to sudden threats to health or life are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of occupational stress. Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) within this professional group significantly surpass the rates found in the general population. Traumatic experiences encountered by medical staff may lead to a substantial decline in their mental health, as well as in their social and professional functioning.

Participants: Several hundred medical doctors and emergency medical personnel from Poland, Ukraine, Portugal and Spain.

Research Methodology: Analysis of data collected through focused interviews, psychological scales, and questionnaires pertaining to burnout, stress, and mental health conditions.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
400
Inclusion Criteria
  • completed medical studies or emergency medical course
  • assistance in life-threatening conditions
Exclusion Criteria
  • Intellectual disability
  • Inability to self-complete the research questionnaires

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Portuguese Medical StaffQualitative & Quantitative ResearchMedical doctors, and emergency staff (paramedics), involved in treating life-threatening conditions
Polish Medical StaffQualitative & Quantitative ResearchMedical doctors, and emergency staff (paramedics), involved in treating life-threatening conditions
Spanish Medical StaffQualitative & Quantitative ResearchMedical doctors, and emergency staff (paramedics), involved in treating life-threatening conditions
Ukrainian Medical StaffQualitative & Quantitative ResearchMedical doctors, and emergency staff (paramedics), involved in treating life-threatening conditions
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5)December, 2023 until March, 2024

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist - 20-item, self-report measure to assess the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. Items are rated on 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely). A general score ranges from 0 to 80 with a higher score indicating a higher symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Focused InterviewOctober, 2023 until November, 2023

Interviews pertaining to physical injury risk, psychosocial factors, and personal indicators

Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)December, 2023 until March, 2024

Patient Health Questionnaire - 9-item, self-report measure to assess the severity of depression. Items are rated on 4-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). A general score ranges from 0 to 27 with a higher score indicating a higher depressive symptom severity.

Depersonalization Mechanism Scale (DMS)December, 2023 until March, 2024

Depersonalization Mechanism Scale - a 20-item, self-report measure to assess the tendency to depersonalization. Items are rated on 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (never) to 4 (very often). A general score ranges from 0 to 80 with a higher score indicating a higher tendency to depersonalization.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (3)

Bogomolets National Medical University

🇺🇦

Kyiv, Ukraine

University of Coimbra

🇵🇹

Coimbra, Portugal

Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland

🇵🇱

Krakow, Małopolska, Poland

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