Health Information on Firefighter Websites: Structured Analysis

Abstract

BackgroundOwing to the fact that firefighters have unique health risks, access to firefighter-specific internet-based health information is a potential mechanism for achieving better health and work outcomes.ObjectiveThe objective of our study was to identify the amount and nature of health information resources available on Canadian firefighter-specific websites and the extent to which resources are consistent across websites as a surrogate indicator of diffusion of information.MethodsA search of health resources on firefighter websites (union and employer) for all Canadian provinces, major cities and a subset of smaller cities, and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) website was conducted on Google (July 2017). Content was identified and classified based on the type of resource, health focus, and location. The quantity and nature of the resources were summarized using descriptive statistics.ResultsAmong all (N=313) websites reviewed, 41 websites had health information with a cumulative total of 128 resources that addressed firefighter mental (59/128, 46.1%), physical (43/128, 33.6%), and work health (26/128, 20.3%). The highest density of information was found on international and national websites (13 resources per website) and the least on local websites (1 resource per 7 websites). Three provinces (Ontario, Québec, and British Columbia) hosted 81% (65/80) of the provincial, territorial and local resources. General mental health (20/59, 34%), posttraumatic stress disorder (14/59, 24%), and suicide (14/59, 24%) were the most prevalent topics within the mental health resources, whereas half (21/43, 49%) of all physical health resources were on cancer. No resources from Northern Canada were found. Musculoskeletal health was not mentioned in any of the resources identified. There was minimal cross-linking of resources across sites (only 4 resources were duplicated across sites), and there was no clear indication of how the content was vetted or evaluated for quality.ConclusionsThere was wide variation in the amount and type of information available on different firefighter websites with limited diffusion of information across jurisdictions. Quality evaluation and coordination of resources should be considered to enhance firefighters’ access to quality health information to meet their specific needs. Mental health and cancer information aligned with high rates of these health problems in firefighters, whereas the lack of information on musculoskeletal health was discordant with their high rate of work injury claims for these problems.

The Quality, Readability, Completeness, and Accuracy of PTSD Websites for Firefighters

“…PTSD programs specifically for firefighters should be created, independently empirically evaluated, and made accessible online using both ‘PTSD’ and ‘operational stress’ as keywords. PTSD programs and resources exist through certain fire departments and firefighter associations [ 13 ], but firefighters may want to access PTSD supports online due to concerns about stigma or accessibility (e.g., geography and time can be barriers) [ 8 ].…”

“…Firefighters may also use online health resources because of insufficient resourcing by their fire department or their community. However, many local fire department websites lack online mental, physical, and general health resources [ 13 ]. The Internet is an important resource for firefighters and other public safety personnel who are seeking information and potential treatment for work-related PTSD and other OSIs.…”

“…PTSD resources that are specific to firefighter needs and their occupational demands are more likely to be accepted by, usable for, and useful to firefighters. Firefighter-specific PTSD resources exist [ 13 ], but the quality, readability, and accuracy of the included content remain unknown. There is also no evidence that appropriate PTSD resources can be easily found using a simple Internet search rather than depending on firefighter association websites [ 13 ].…”

“…During the course of their careers, firefighters respond to hundreds of PPTE [4], including medical emergencies and violence [6]. In a study by Carleton et al [7], 13.5% of Canadian firefighters screened positive for PTSD as per the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Recently, there has been increased interest in understanding the potential risks for firefighters developing PTSD and other operational stress injuries (OSI) [1], as well as the specific needs of firefighters for information and treatment [8].…”

Research on Complex Structures in Space Fault Network for Fault Data Mining in System Fault Evolution Process

“…The research includes mechanical system fault evolution [1]; grid cascading fault evolution [2]; multi-focus strategy optimization model [3]; competitive fault model [4]; hybrid fault model [5]; multi-strategy evolution dynamics [6]; online knowledge community knowledge system evolution [7]; innovation ecosystem performance [8]; urban traffic system evolution [9]; enterprise system evolution [10]; software spatial structure evolution [11], enterprise system evolution [12], and behavior process evolution [13]. The complex structure representation and analysis methods of the system have been studied and applied in medical field [14], project management [15], software evaluation [16], health analysis [17], monitoring video analysis [18], parallel structural analysis [19], and teaching activity analysis [20], Adaptive fault tolerant control [21], Active fault-tolerant control [22], Observer-based leader-following consensus [23], Adaptive Consensus Control [24] etc.. Although the above methods have achieved good results in their respective fields, there are lacks of methodologies at the system level, such as unified description and analysis methods of SFEP.…”