The risk ogf high-risk jobs : psychological health consequences in forensic physicians and ambulance workers

Abstract

The risk of high-risk jobs: Psychological health consequences in forensic doctors and ambulance workers

This thesis has shown that forensic physicians and ambulance personnel frequently suffer from psychological complaints as a result of dramatic events and sources of chronic work stress.

A significant number of forensic physicians and ambulance personnel experience serious problems in coming to terms with dramatic events they have experienced. These complaints are often expressed in the form of the events being relived, dreams about these events and avoiding talking about these events. The more frequently the events occur, the greater the number of psychological complaints suffered. The most dramatic events are those involving children.

Up until now little research or attention has been devoted to the psychological consequences of either dramatic experiences at work or sources of chronic work stress. This study is unique because it investigates both of these stress factors.

The medical personnel filled in a questionnaire on two separate occasions. This questionnaire covered dramatic events at work, sources of chronic work stress, posttraumatic stress complaints, fatigue and burnout. The purpose of the second questionnaire was to predict health complaints that would arise due to dramatic events and sources of chronic work stress.

The majority of the 84 forensic physicians and 221 ambulance personnel questioned indicated that they regularly experienced dramatic events at work. Examples of these are confrontations with ill people and with victims of violence and accidents. Forensic physicians regularly encounter aggression in their daily work. This is because they carry out research and issue recommendations to the government, the police and the judiciary with respect to the maintenance of law and order. Ambulance personnel also report that they are regularly confronted with violence.

It was also found that these employees are exposed to various sources of chronic stress. For both groups the most frequently cited stress factor was the lack of social support from management and colleagues. Poor communication within the organisation leads to extra tensions.

Together with the dramatic events, these sources of work stress lead to psychological complaints. More than one in ten of those questioned suffered from burnout and/or serious fatigue.