title: Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms and Burnout Among Medical Rescue Workers 4 Years After the Great East Japan Earthquake: A Longitudinal Study.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate factors associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and burnout 4 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake among medical rescue workers in Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs).
  
  
  
  We examined participants' background characteristics, prior health condition, rescue work experiences, and the Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI) score at 1 month after the earthquake. Current psychological condition was assessed by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised and Maslach Burnout Inventory administered 4 years after the earthquake. By applying univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses, we assessed the relative value of the PDI and other baseline variables for PTSD symptoms and burnout at 4 years after the earthquake.
  
  
  
  We obtained baseline data from 254 participants during April 2 to 22, 2011. Of the 254 participants, 188 (74.0%) completed the follow-up assessment. PDI score 1 month after the earthquake was associated with symptoms of PTSD (β=0.35, P<.01) and burnout (β=0.21, P<.01). Stress before deployment was a related factor for burnout 4 years after the earthquake in these medical rescue workers (β=2.61, P<.04).
  
  
  
  It seems important for DMAT headquarters to establish a routine system for assessing the PDI of medical rescue workers after deployment and screen those workers who have high stress prior to deployment (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:848-853).
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry,National Disaster Medical Center,Tachikawa,Japan.
authors.forename: Yuzuru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry,National Disaster Medical Center,Tachikawa,Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nishi
authors.affiliation: 3School of Distance Learning,Musashino University,Mitaka,Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry,National Disaster Medical Center,Tachikawa,Japan.
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Usuki
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry,National Disaster Medical Center,Tachikawa,Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.affiliation: 4Clinical Research Institute,National Disaster Medical Center,Tachikawa,Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koido
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Neuropsychiatry,Nippon Medical School,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychiatry,National Disaster Medical Center,Tachikawa,Japan.
authors.forename: Yutaka J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D055866:Earthquakes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018635:Rescue Work; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: PTSD; burnout; disaster; medical rescue worker