Abstract
A spike in COVID-19 cases in Taiwan’s communities caused a significant increase in workload and infection concerns among prehospital personnel working in Taiwan fire departments. The present study was aimed at investigating their health status during this period. The target population was prehospital personnel who are from Taiwan fire departments, and who responded to COVID-19 patients during the community outbreak period. A questionnaire was employed to assess their physical and mental health status. The results showed that prehospital personnel suffered from moderate to severe degrees of burnout. Workload, body burden, and perceived pressure increased significantly during this period. Participants received more support from friends, family, and colleagues than they did from authorities. The paramedics reported higher scores for personal burnout than the emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Compared to non-COVID-19 response units, special COVID-19 response units reported higher scores for workload, body burden, and supportive environment. The results suggested that personal and work-related burnout were associated with higher perceived pressure. This study is the first investigation of physical and mental health burdens among prehospital personnel in Taiwan fire departments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The physical and mental health status of these personnel should be continuously monitored, and intervention provided as necessary.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic has been impacting societies around the world since late2019
Emergency ambulance crews comprising emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics working in fire departments were required to wear full personal protective equipment, and drive ambulances for hours daily to transport
Some EMTs and paramedics reported suffering from heat-related illness and psychological stress after operating COVID-19 patient transports [1]
Summary
In Taiwan, a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases caused a significant increase in the workload of hospital and prehospital healthcare providers in communities between. During this period, health and emergency authorities assigned emergency ambulance crews in fire departments to transport patients with unstable COVID-19 conditions to hospitals, whereas minor or asymptomatic cases were transported to quarantine facilities. Studies have shown that dramatic changes in the work environment, and elevated risk levels in hospital and prehospital settings have induced significant pressure, anxiety, depression, and burnout in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic [2–10]. The present study aimed to measure factors related to physical and mental health among EMTs and paramedics in Taiwan fire departments, and investigate the association among these factors during the spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in Taiwanese communities
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