Post-traumatic stress disorder and job stress among firefighters of urban Japan

AuthorIntroduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common condition among firefighters. In this study involving Japanese firefighters, we aimed to elucidate the relationships between job stress, social support, and depressive stress with PTSD scores estimated by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). Methods: A total of 1667 Japanese firefighters working for the local government were provided a questionnaire to gather information pertaining to age, gender, job type, job class, marital status, and smoking and drinking habits. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) generic job stress questionnaire, and the IES-R were also included. Results: After adjustment for age and sex, subjects in the PTSD-positive group had significantly higher scores for intergroup conflict, role ambiguity, and CES-D as well as significantly lower scores for social support from supervisor compared to those in the PTSD-negative group. Conclusions: High intergroup conflict and role ambiguity, as well as low social support from supervisors and the presence of depressive symptoms, may influence PTSD development among Japanese firefighters