Bracken-Scally, M., McGilloway, Sinéad, Gallagher, S. and Mitchell, J. T. (2014) Life after the Emergency Services: An Exploratory Study of Well Being and Quality of Life in Emergency Service Retirees. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience, 16 (1). pp. 44-61. ISSN 1522-4821
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Abstract
Much is known about the negative impact of emergency services work, but no studies, to date, have investigated its
long-term consequences. This cross-sectional study assesses the possible long-term effects on quality of life, of trauma exposure
and emergency work in a sample of retirees from the Irish emergency services (n=169) and a comparison group of non-emergency
service retirees (n=140). A multi-questionnaire postal survey was administered to assess quality of life (QoL; WHOQOL-BREF),
experiences of trauma, and trauma symptoms (PSS-SR). QoL was significantly better in non-emergency retirees, whilst this group
also had significantly fewer trauma symptoms. Incidents involving children were identified by a large proportion of emergency
retirees as being particularly difficult to manage. The findings address a significant gap in our knowledge around the possible
longer term effects of emergency services work in an often neglected sub-group. Factors associated with increased QoL and reduced
symptoms of PTSD are discussed, as are some possible recommendations for the futur
Item Type: | Article |
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Keywords: | Emergency services; Trauma exposure; PTSD; Quality of life; Mental health; Healthy ageing; |
Academic Unit: | Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology |
Item ID: | 6340 |
Depositing User: | Dr. Sinéad McGilloway |
Date Deposited: | 08 Sep 2015 16:14 |
Journal or Publication Title: | International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience |
Publisher: | OMICS International |
Refereed: | Yes |
URI: | https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/6340 |
Use Licence: | This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here |
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