Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T23:12:43.710Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Establishing the Effectiveness of Interventions Provided to First Responders to Prevent and/or Treat Mental Health Effects of Response to a Disaster: A Systematic Review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 February 2020

W. Tyler Winders Open the ORCID record for W. Tyler Winders [Opens in a new window] ,
Nirma D. Bustamante ,
Stephanie Chow Garbern ,
Corey Bills Open the ORCID record for Corey Bills [Opens in a new window] ,
Amin Coker ,
Indi Trehan ,
Maxwell Osei-Ampofo  and
Adam C. Levine
W. Tyler Winders*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
Nirma D. Bustamante
Affiliation:
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
Stephanie Chow Garbern
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
Corey Bills
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California
Amin Coker
Affiliation:
Emergency Medicine Directorate, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
Indi Trehan
Affiliation:
Lao Friends Hospital for Children, Luang Prabang, Lao, PDR Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
Maxwell Osei-Ampofo
Affiliation:
Emergency Medicine Directorate, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
Adam C. Levine
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to W. Tyler Winders, Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, 169 Ashley Ave., MSC 300, CharlestonSC29425 (e-mail: [email protected]).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives:

This review systematically explores the current available evidence on the effectiveness of interventions provided to first responders to prevent and/or treat the mental health effects of responding to a disaster.

Methods:

A systematic review of Medline, Scopus, PsycINFO, and gray literature was conducted. Studies describing the effectiveness of interventions provided to first responders to prevent and/or treat the mental health effects of responding to a disaster were included. Quality was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria, and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist.

Results:

Manuscripts totaling 3869 met the initial search criteria; 25 studies met the criteria for in-depth analysis, including 22 quantitative and 3 qualitative studies; 6 were performed in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); 18 studies evaluated a psychological intervention; of these, 13 found positive impact, 4 found no impact, and 1 demonstrated worsened symptoms after the intervention. Pre-event trainings decreased psychiatric symptoms in each of the 3 studies evaluating its effectiveness.

Conclusions:

This review demonstrates that there are likely effective interventions to both prevent and treat psychiatric symptoms in first responders in high-, medium-, and low-income countries.

Keywords

bystanderdisasterlow- and middle-income countriesmental healthposttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Type
Systematic Review
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 15 , Issue 1 , February 2021 , pp. 115 - 126
Copyright
Copyright © 2020 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Global Humanitarian Overview 2018. Interactive.unocha.org. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs; 2017.Google Scholar
World Health Organization (WHO). Environmental health in emergencies and disasters: a practical guide. World Health Organization; 2002.Google Scholar
Perrin, P. War and public health. In: Handbook on War and Public Health. International Committee of the Red Cross; 1996.Google Scholar
Update of the Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) guidelines for mental, neurological and substance use disorders. World Health Organization; 2015.Google Scholar
Hansen, P. Psychosocial interventions: a handbook. International Federation Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support; 2009.Google Scholar
Hobfoll, SE, Watson, P, Bell, CC, et al. Five essential elements of immediate and mid-term mass trauma intervention: empirical evidence. Psychiatry. 2007;70:283-315.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bisson, JI, Tavakoly, B, Witteveen, AB, et al. TENTS guidelines: development of post-disaster psychosocial care guidelines through a Delphi process. Br J Psychiatry. 2010;196:69-74.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cassan, P, Markenson, D, Lo, G, et al. International first aid and resuscitation guidelines. Geneva, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; 2011.Google Scholar
Vymetal, S, Deistler, A, Bering, R, et al. European Commission project: European guideline for target group-oriented psychosocial aftercare-implementation. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2011;26:234-236.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marmar, CR, Weiss, DS, Metzler, TJ, et al. Longitudinal course and predictors of continuing distress following critical incident exposure in emergency services personnel. J Nerv Ment Disord. 1999;187:15-22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
North, CS, Tivis, L, McMillen, JC, et al. Coping, functioning and adjustment of rescue workers after the Oklahoma City bombing. J Trauma Stress. 2002;15:171-175.Google ScholarPubMed
Weiss, DS, Marmar, CR, Metzler, TJ, Ronfeldt, HM. Predicting symptomatic distress in emergency services personnel. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1995;63:361-368.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ursano, RJ, Fullerton, CS, Vance, K, Kao, TC. Posttraumatic stress disorder and identification in disaster workers. Am J Psychiatry. 1999;156:353-359.Google ScholarPubMed
Osofsky, HJ, Osofsky, JD, Arey, J, et al. Hurricane Katrina’s first responders: the struggle to protect and serve in the aftermath of the disaster. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2011;5(Suppl 2):S214-219.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neria, Y, Nandi, A, Galea, S. Post-traumatic stress disorder following disasters: a systematic review. Psychol Med. 2008;38(4):467-480.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jones, S. Describing the mental health profile of first responders: a systematic review. J Am Psychiatric Nurses Assoc. 2017;23(3):200-214.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fullerton, CS, Ursano, RJ, Vance, K, et al. Debriefing following trauma. Psychiatr Q. 2000;71(3):259-276.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guyatt, GH, Oxman, AD, Schunemann, HJ, et al. GRADE guidelines: a new series of articles in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology . J Clin Epidemiol. 2011;64(4):380-382.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guyatt, GH, Oxman, AD, Vist, GE, et al. GRADE: an emerging consensus on rating quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. BMJ. 2008;336(7650):924-926.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moher, D, Liberati, A, Tetzlaff, J, et al. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. PLoS Med. 2009;6(7):e100097.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. CASP qualitative checklist. 2019. https://casp-uk.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/CASP-Qualitative-Checklist-2018.pdf. Accessed August 10, 2019.Google Scholar
Lundin, T, Bodegård, M. The psychological impact of an earthquake on rescue workers: a follow-up study of the Swedish group of rescue workers in Armenia, 1988. J Trauma Stress. 1993;6(1):129-139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deahl, MP, Gillham, AB, Thomas, J, et al. Psychological sequelae following the Gulf War. Factors associated with subsequent morbidity and the effectiveness of psychological debriefing. Br J Psychiatry. 1994;165(1):60-65.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Karakshian, M. Countertransference issues in crisis work with natural disaster victims. Psychother Theor Res Pract Train. 1994;31(2):334-341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kenardy, JA, Webster, RA, Lewin, TJ, et al. Stress debriefing and patterns of recovery following a natural disaster. J Trauma Stress. 1996;9(1):37-49.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Armstrong, K, Zatzick, D, Metzler, T, et al. Debriefing of American Red Cross personnel: pilot study on participants’ evaluations and case examples from the 1994 Los Angeles earthquake relief operation. Soc Work Health Care. 1998;27(1):33-50.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carlier, I, Lamberts, R, Van Uchelen, A, Gersons, B. Disaster-related post-traumatic stress in police officers: a field study of the impact of debriefing. Stress Med. 1998;14(3):143-148.3.0.CO;2-S>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nurmi, LA. The sinking of the Estonia: the effects of critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) on rescuers. Int J Emerg Ment Health. 1999;1(1):23-31.Google ScholarPubMed
Wee, DF, Mills, DM, Koehler, G. The effects of critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) on emergency medical services personnel following the Los Angeles civil disturbance. Int J Emerg Ment Health. 1999;1(1):33-37.Google ScholarPubMed
Hagh-shenas, H, Goodarzi, MA, Dehbozorgi, G, Farashbandi, H. Psychological consequences of the Bam earthquake on professional and nonprofessional helpers. J Trauma Stress. 2005;18(5):477-483.Google ScholarPubMed
Difede, J, Malta, LS, Best, S, et al. A randomized controlled clinical treatment trial for World Trade Center attack-related PTSD in disaster workers. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2007;195(10):861-865.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Engel, CC, Oxman, T, Yamamoto, C, et al. RESPECT-Mil: feasibility of a systems-level collaborative care approach to depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in military primary care. Mil Med. 2008;173(10):935-940.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Waelde, LC, Uddo, M, Marquett, R, et al. A pilot study of meditation for mental health workers following Hurricane Katrina. J Trauma Stress. 2008;21(5):497-500.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Essar, N, Palgi, Y, Saar, R, Ben-ezra, M. Pre-traumatic vaccination intervention: can dissociative symptoms be reduced? Prehosp Disaster Med. 2010;25(3):278-284.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wu, S, Zhu, X, Zhang, Y, et al. A new psychological intervention: “512 Psychological Intervention Model” used for military rescuers in Wenchuan earthquake in China. Soc Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2012;47(7):1111-1119.Google ScholarPubMed
Nishi, D, Koido, Y, Nakaya, N, et al. Fish oil for attenuating posttraumatic stress symptoms among rescue workers after the Great East Japan earthquake: a randomized controlled trial. Psychother Psychosom. 2012;81(5):315-317.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Palgi, Y, Ben-ezra, M, Possick, C. Vulnerability and resilience in a group intervention with hospital personnel during exposure to extreme and prolonged war stress. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(1):103-108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haugen, PT, Goldman, RE, Owen, J. Sudden gains and deteriorations in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in World Trade Center responders. J Nerv Ment Disord. 2015;203(3):205-209.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Iwakuma, M, Oshita, D, Yamamoto, A, Urushibara-Miyachi, Y. Effects of breathing-based meditation on earthquake-affected health professionals. Holist Nurs Pract. 2017;31(3):177-182.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Haugen, PT, Werth, AS, Foster, AL, Owen, J. The role of theory-specific techniques and therapeutic alliance in promoting positive outcomes: integrative psychotherapy for World Trade Center responders. J Nerv Ment Disord. 2016;204(12):955-959.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Waelde, LC, Hechanova, MRM, Ramos, PAP, et al. Mindfulness and mantra training for disaster mental health workers in the Philippines. Mindfulness. 2017;9(4):1181-1190.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ke, YT, Chen, HC, Lin, CH, et al. Posttraumatic psychiatric disorders and resilience in healthcare providers following a disastrous earthquake: an interventional study in Taiwan. Biomed Res Int. 2017;2017:2981624.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tran, DV, North, CS. The association between dissatisfaction with debriefing and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in rescue and recovery workers for the Oklahoma City bombing. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2018;12(6):718-722.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Whealin, JM, Batzer, WB, Morgan, CA, et al. Cohesion, burnout, and past trauma in tri-service medical and support personnel. Mil Med. 2007;172:266-272.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Te Brake, H, Dückers, M, De Vries, M, et al. Early psychosocial interventions after disasters, terrorism, and other shocking events: guideline development. Nurs Health Sci. 2009;11(4):336-343.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McCarroll, J, Ursano, R, Fullerton, C, Wright, K. Community consultation following a major air disaster. J Community Psychiatry. 1992;29:271-275.Google Scholar
Smith, CL, De Chesnay, M. Critical incident stress debriefings for crisis management in post-traumatic stress disorders. Med Law. 1994;13(1-2):185-191.Google ScholarPubMed
Zimmerman, G, Weber, W. Care for the Caregivers: a program for Canadian military chaplains after serving in NATO and United Nations peacekeeping missions in the 1990s. Mil Med. 2000;165(9):687–90.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed