Burden and Protection: Heterogeneous Effects of Occupational and Operational Stressors on Burnout Dimensions Among Firefighters.

de Carvalho, Thalyta Gleyane Silva; Araújo, Larissa Fortunato; Lima, Eduardo de Paula; de Andrade, Alan Lúcio Alencar; Bastos, Maria Luiza Almeida; Lacerda, Eliana Mattos; Ferreira, Marcelo José Monteiro; (2021) Burden and Protection: Heterogeneous Effects of Occupational and Operational Stressors on Burnout Dimensions Among Firefighters. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 63 (12). e899-e904. ISSN 1076-2752 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000002398

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between occupational stressors and Burnout dimensions among Brazilian firefighters. METHOD: A cross-sectional study about firefighters (n = 237) was developed in Fortaleza, Northeast of Brazil. Logistic regression analysis was applied to investigate the association between high strain (high demand and low job control), low social support, high operational exposure, and Burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment). RESULTS: High strain was associated to emotional exhaustion (odds ratio [OR] = 11.65; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.92 to 34.60) and depersonalization (OR = 5.43; 95% CI: 2.03 to 14.58). Low social support was associated to emotional exhaustion (OR = 2.86; 95% CI: 1.24 to 6.60) and low personal accomplishment (OR = 2.59; 95% CI: 1.36 to 4.93). High operational exposure did not increase the odds of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and decreased the odds of low personal accomplishment (OR = 0.31; 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.94). CONCLUSION: The study highlights the heterogeneous effects that operational and organisational stressors have on each dimension of Burnout.