title: Life after the emergency services: an exploratory study of well being and quality of life in emergency service retirees.
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 future.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bracken-Scally
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McGilloway
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000552:Ambulances; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D060731:Emergency Responders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D061388:Firefighters; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012179:Retirement; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires