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Factors That Affect Emergency Responder Wellbeing: Considerations for Public Health Responders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 April 2021

Tsega Gebreyesus Open the ORCID record for Tsega Gebreyesus [Opens in a new window] ,
Julia Cohen ,
Bobby Rasulnia  and
Sachiko Kuwabara
Tsega Gebreyesus*
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Operations, Center for Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Julia Cohen
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Operations, Center for Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Bobby Rasulnia
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Operations, Center for Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Sachiko Kuwabara
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Operations, Center for Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
*
Corresponding author: Tsega Gebreyesus, Email: tgebreye@gmail.com.
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Abstract

Purpose:

The purpose of this study is to identify key risk factors that could negatively affect public health emergency responders’ health and wellbeing. We seek to use this information to provide recommendations and strategies to mitigate such risks.

Design/Methodology/Approach:

A narrative review of the peer-reviewed literature on wellbeing of military personnel and other responders was conducted. Data was grouped and categorized according to overarching domains.

Findings:

Factors associated with wellbeing were categorized into 5 domains: (1) demographics; (2) mental health concerns; (3) social networks; (4) work environment; and (5) postdeployment life. The strategies identified to promote wellbeing included mental health assessments, preparedness trainings, debriefs in the field, postdeployment debriefs, resources in the field, and further postdeployment decompression strategies.

Originality/Value:

This study provides a unique understanding of the risk factors associated with poor health and wellbeing outcomes in public health emergency response work by extending the body of knowledge that focuses on other types of emergency and military response.

Keywords

emergency responseresponder wellbeingrisk factorsprotective factorsdeployment
Type
Systematic Review
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 16 , Issue 2 , April 2022 , pp. 809 - 817
Copyright
© 2021 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

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