Presentation
Safety and Mental Health in Emergency Medical Services: A Quantitative Examination of Job Control & Peer Support, Mental Health, and Physical Injuries
DescriptionEmergency medical services (EMS) workers provide life-saving care in high-pressure, unpredictable environments where mental health and physical safety are often treated as separate issues. This presentation examines whether job control and peer support are associated with mental health symptoms and injury outcomes among EMS professionals. Using survey data from 363 EMS respondents, the study measured job control and peer support, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and self-reported work-related, OSHA-recordable, and stress/fatigue-related injuries. Structural equation modeling was used to test relationships among these factors.
Results showed that stronger job control and peer support were associated with lower mental health symptoms and fewer reported injuries. Mental health symptoms were also positively associated with injury outcomes, suggesting that psychological distress may be part of the pathway through which EMS work conditions affect physical safety. The model explained 8% of the variance in mental health symptoms and 14% of the variance in injury outcomes.
For EMS leaders, safety professionals, and human factors practitioners, the findings support a concept that is gaining traction that mental health is not only a wellness issue, but also a safety issue. Improving job control, peer support, and recovery may reduce both psychological strain and injury risk in EMS.
Results showed that stronger job control and peer support were associated with lower mental health symptoms and fewer reported injuries. Mental health symptoms were also positively associated with injury outcomes, suggesting that psychological distress may be part of the pathway through which EMS work conditions affect physical safety. The model explained 8% of the variance in mental health symptoms and 14% of the variance in injury outcomes.
For EMS leaders, safety professionals, and human factors practitioners, the findings support a concept that is gaining traction that mental health is not only a wellness issue, but also a safety issue. Improving job control, peer support, and recovery may reduce both psychological strain and injury risk in EMS.
Event Type
Lecture
TimeThursday, October 22nd3:40pm - 4pm PDT
Location
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