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Perceived safety in disaster workers following 9/11
Carol S Fullerton1, Robert J Ursano, Jamie Reeves
1Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA.
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
|February 8, 2006
Summary
Lower perceived safety in disaster workers after the 9/11 attacks correlated with increased posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and depression. This impacts long-term health and productivity for first responders.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Trauma Studies
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Perceived safety is crucial for health and work post-trauma.
- The link between perceived safety, PTSD, and depression is understudied.
- Disaster workers face unique challenges impacting their sense of safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine perceived safety, PTSD, and depression in disaster workers post-9/11.
- To understand how exposure levels relate to perceived safety.
- To identify associations between perceived safety and specific PTSD symptoms, depression, and dissociation.
Main Methods:
- Survey administered to disaster workers two weeks after the 9/11 attacks.
- Assessed symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and perceived safety.
- Analyzed correlations between exposure severity, perceived safety, and psychological outcomes.
Main Results:
- Lower perceived safety was reported by workers with higher exposure (danger, handling deceased, witnessing death/injury).
- Reduced perceived safety correlated with increased intrusion and hyperarousal symptoms of PTSD.
- Perceived safety was negatively associated with depression and peritraumatic dissociation.
Conclusions:
- Lowered perceived safety post-terrorist events affects disaster workers' health and work.
- Findings highlight the need to address safety perceptions for long-term well-being.
- Interventions may improve morale and productivity in first responders.
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