Relationships between job stress, post-traumatic stress and musculoskeletal symptoms in firefighters and the role of job burnout and depression mediators: a bayesian network model

• Published in: BMC public health Vol. 24; no. 1; p. 468
• Main Authors: Khoshakhlagh, Amir Hossein, Sulaie, Saleh Al, Yazdanirad, Saeid, Orr, Robin Marc, Laal, Fereydoon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 14-02-2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Bayes Theorem; Bayesian analysis; Blood vessels; Burn out (Psychology); Burnout; Burnout, Professional - epidemiology; Burnout, Psychological; Complications and side effects; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data collection; Demographic aspects; Depression - epidemiology; Depression - etiology; Depression, Mental; Diagnosis; Employment; Epidemiology; Fire fighters; Firefighters; Firefighters - psychology; Fires; First responder; Health aspects; Humans; Influence; Job stress; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Musculoskeletal diseases; Musculoskeletal injury; Musculoskeletal system; Occupational health; Occupational stress; Occupational Stress - complications; Occupational Stress - epidemiology; Participation; Physiological aspects; Post traumatic stress disorder; Psychological aspects; Psychological stress; Psychological Tests; PTSD; Questionnaires; Random variables; Risk factors; Self Report; Signs and symptoms; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Work environment; Iran; PTSD; Job stress; First responder; Musculoskeletal injury
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17911-5

Job stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and negative psychological outcomes in firefighters can be caused, or aggravated, by their work. These mental disorders can impart musculoskeletal symptoms. This study aimed to investigate relationships between musculoskeletal and psychological disorders in a population of firefighters using a Bayesian network model.
This cross-sectional study, conducted in 2022, included 2339 firefighters who completed questionnaires during their rest periods. The questionnaires comprised of demographical information, the Occupational Stress Questionnaire-HSE, the PTSD Checklist, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Center for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression scale (CES-D), and Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. GeNIe academic software was used to analyze the Bayesian network.
High job stress and high PTSD each increased the probability of musculoskeletal symptoms by 34%. When combined, high job stress and high PTSD increased the probability of musculoskeletal symptoms by 37%. Among the mediator's burnout and depression, depression had the highest association with musculoskeletal symptoms.
Job stress and PTSD can increase musculoskeletal symptoms and are influenced by psychological mediators (like burnout and depression). Adopting preventive and therapeutic measures to mitigate job stress and PTSD, mitigate and rehabilitate WMSD, and manage associated mediators are critical for the mental and physical health of firefighters.