title: Coping Behavior and Risk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Federal Disaster Responders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our knowledge about the impact of coping behavior styles in people exposed to stressful disaster events is limited. Effective coping behavior has been shown to be a psychosocial stress modifier in both occupational and nonoccupational settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected by using a web-based survey that administered the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist-Civilian, General Coping Questionnaire-30, and a supplementary questionnaire assessing various risk factors. Logistic regression models were used to test for the association of the 3 coping styles with probable PTSD following disaster exposure among federal disaster responders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this sample of 549 study subjects, avoidant coping behavior was most associated with probable PTSD. In tested regression models, the odds ratios ranged from 1.19 to 1.26 and 95% confidence intervals ranged from 1.08 to 1.35. With control for various predictors, emotion-based coping behavior was also found to be associated with probable PTSD (odds ratio=1.11; 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.22).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study found that in disaster responders exposed to traumatic disaster events, the likelihood of probable PTSD can be influenced by individual coping behavior style and other covariates. The continued probability of disasters underscores the critical importance of these findings both in terms of guiding mental health practitioners in treating exposed disaster responders and in stimulating future research.
authors.affiliation: 1Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai,New York,New York.
authors.forename: George T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Loo
authors.affiliation: 2New York University School of Medicine,New York,New York.
authors.forename: Charles J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: DiMaggio
authors.affiliation: 3University of California at San Francisco,Institute for Health Policy Studies,San Francisco,California.
authors.forename: Robyn R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Gershon
authors.affiliation: 4Shasta Community Health Center,Redding,California.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Canton
authors.affiliation: 5Columbia University,Mailman School of Public Health,New York,New York.
authors.forename: Stephen S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Morse
authors.affiliation: 6Boston University School of Public Health,Boston,Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galea
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D054597:Disaster Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D060731:Emergency Responders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: coping behavior; disaster medicine; emergency responders; mental health; post-traumatic; stress disorders