A Web-Based Program to Prevent Mental Health Risks in Medical Examiners

Details

• Personal Author:
  Brondolo E ; Delahanty D
• Description:
  First responder and related occupational groups encounter traumatic events during their work lives. Low intensity, web-based interventions have shown some success in reducing posttraumatic stress symptoms in civilian and clinical populations. To date, there have been very few web-based interventions designed to reduce risk for posttraumatic stress in high risk employee groups. The specific aims of this proposal were to develop a web-based intervention to decrease mental health risks in medical examiner personnel and to provide preliminary data on the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of this intervention. Medical examiner employees are responsible for determining the cause and manner of death and for victim identification. Our basic research indicated that medical examiner personnel were at risk for the development of posttraumatic stress and secondary traumatic stress as a function of exposure to highly disturbing cases and contact with distressed relatives of the deceased, among other events. The treatment we developed addressed these risk factors using a wide range of empirically supported interventions adapted for this specific employee group. Over the course of this project, we fully developed, edited, and implemented a 16-class version of the web-based program (www.workstresshealth.com - login information is available upon request at brondole@stjohns.edu). The classes included videos with didactic instruction and case examples, as well as quizzes and on line exercises. We implemented the program in 9 ME offices in 6 states. We consented and obtained baseline screening surveys from 68.4% (n=257) of the employees in the offices. Of those who consented, 46.29% (n=121) participated in the course to some degree with 29.2% (n = 75) completing 7 or more classes and 26.4% (n = 63) completing all classes. Based on regular participant feedback (in the form of consumer satisfaction surveys at the end of each class, focus groups and individual interviews with participants), we received detailed feedback that allowed us to modify the program throughout the study. Consumer satisfaction ratings were very high among those who completed any of the classes; 95% of participants agreed (51% agreed, and 49% strongly agreed) that the program provided useful information; 95% agreed (51% strongly agreed) that the information was presented clearly; 94% agreed (46% strongly agreed) that the workplace examples and exercises were appropriate and useful. Data collected during the course of the project confirmed the results of our preliminary studies and permitted us to develop a more effective model of mental health risks for medical examiner employees. We have identified links between specific workplace exposures and different types of negative cognitions. These negative cognitions may serve as risk factors for the development or maintenance of post-traumatic stress symptoms, and the intervention program was designed to modify these cognitions. We are currently analyzing the final round of data to determine if the program was efficacious in reducing mental health symptoms and improving workplace social support. We are developing a R01 application to conduct a randomized controlled trial of the improved intervention in a broader sample of medical examiner employees and those in other death-related fields. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Health Personnel Mental Health Nervous System Occupational Health Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Software Workplace
• Keywords:
  Computer Programs Intervention Medical Personnel Mental Health Post-traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD Risk Factors Workplace Studies
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Final Grant Report
• Place as Subject:
  New York ; OSHA Region 2
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-12
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20057383
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2020-100145
• Citation:
  Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, R21-OH-009909, 2013 May; :1-12
• Contact Point Address:
  Elizabeth Brondolo, St. John's College - Psychology, Marillac Hall Room 411A, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Queens, New York 11439
• Email:
  brondole@stjohns.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2013
• NORA Priority Area:
  Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Performing Organization:
  St. John's University, Queens, New York
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20100901
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  20130131
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:0e875ea62925d24e94cbc1d79ecb4193862cc8cd09ae84b9fb0b6b926d43173e2cf44b1becc57f34fda0364602fd0122888d9ddee814a1147fb217b061d9196c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/218932/cdc_218932_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 73.46 KB ]