Table 3.
Frequency and distribution of mental health specific variables (n = 388).
| Participant Characteristics | Frequency (n) | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Prevalence of PTSD | ||
| All participants | 118 | 30.41% |
| Prevalence of PTSD by gender | ||
| Males (n = 213) | 57 | 26.76% |
| Females (n = 175) | 61 | 34.86% |
| Prevalence of PTSD by job category/role | ||
| Operational staff (n = 277) | 85 | 30.69% |
| Support staff (n = 111) | 33 | 29.73% |
| Role limitations due to emotional problems (SF36) | ||
| Any emotional problems with regular work in past 4 weeks | 156 | 40.21% |
| Cut down on amount of time spent on work/other activities | 94 | 24.23% |
| Accomplished less than would like | 110 | 28.35% |
| Not working as carefully as usual | 90 | 23.20 % |
| Awareness of services to manage WRS | 277 | 71.39% |
| Extent of training on how to manage WRS | ||
| No training | 268 | 69.07% |
| Some training | 110 | 28.35% |
| Extensive training | 10 | 2.58% |
| Extent of training on services available for WRS | ||
| No training | 266 | 68.56% |
| Some training | 111 | 28.61% |
| Extensive training | 11 | 2.84% |
| Barriers to seeking help for WRS | ||
| Fear that services are not confidential | 149 | 38.40% |
| Fear that my career will be negatively affected | 88 | 22.68% |
| Difficult to get time off from work | 69 | 17.78% |
| Lack finances or medical aid | 68 | 17.52% |
| Do not know where to get help | 61 | 15.72% |
| Difficult to schedule appointment | 48 | 12.37% |
| Lack transport to access help | 42 | 10.82% |
| How services/support for WRS can be improved | ||
| Train staff to recognize when stressed | 262 | 67.52% |
| Have more supportive management | 242 | 63.37% |
| Address staff shortages | 243 | 62.63% |
| Provide counselling on premises | 224 | 57.73% |
| Allow for debriefing or discussion | 219 | 56.44% |
| Train supervisors to detect WRS | 203 | 52.32% |
| Improve culture within service | 154 | 39.70% |
| Provide accessible treatment services | 153 | 39.43% |
| Provide group coaching | 148 | 38.14% |
| Lessen workload | 119 | 30.67% |
| Rotate shifts: work in high and low trauma settings | 86 | 22.16% |
| Rotate shifts to allow enough rest | 82 | 21.13% |
| Provide counselling telephonically | 78 | 20.10% |
Data are presented as % or median (interquartile range) unless otherwise indicated. PTSD: post-traumatic stress disorder; WRS: work-related stress.