Background The aim was to investigate attitudes and stressors related to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak among emergency medical services (EMS) workers in Germany. We further aimed to detect possible changes within a 5-week period and potential determinants of attitudes and stressors. Methods We conducted two cross-sectional studies using an online questionnaire in early April 2020 (i.e., the first peak of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Germany) and five weeks later. The study instrument comprised sociodemographic items, self-devised items on pandemic-related attitudes, stressors and work outcomes, and established instruments assessing depressive symptoms and symptoms of anxiety. Logistic regression was performed to identify possible determinants. Results Data of 1537 participants was included in the analysis (April: n = 1124, May: n = 413, 83.1% male, median age 32). Most participants agreed that their personal risk of infection was higher compared to the general population (April: 87.0% agreement, May: 78.9%). The greatest stressor was uncertainty about the pandemic’s temporal scope (82.0 and 80.9%, respectively). Most participants (69.9, 79.7%) felt sufficiently prepared for the pandemic and only few felt burdened by their financial situation (18.8, 13.3%). Agreement to all stressors decreased from April to May except related to the childcare situation. Regression analysis identified subgroups to be burdened more frequently such as older employees, those with SARS-CoV-2 cases among their colleagues, and those with lower paramedic training levels. Conclusions We identified key SARS-CoV-2-related stressors whose levels generally decreased within a 5-week period. Our results indicate that EMS workers are less affected by existential fears and rather worry about their personal infection risk. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-021-06779-5.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Epidemiology, occupational health, cross-sectional study, Psychological stress, Emergency medical services workers, 【초록키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, Emergency medical services, pandemic, Anxiety, Symptom, outcomes, Depressive symptoms, Germany, outbreak, male, Logistic regression, General population, determinants, infection risk, agreement, Cross-sectional studies, change, questionnaire, Analysis, risk of infection, Regression, medical service, regression analysis, subgroup, determinant, stressors, Older, Stressor, supplementary material, subgroups, median age, participant, Sociodemographic, MOST, FIVE, depressive symptom, Result, identify, affected, detect, conducted, was performed, less, the SARS-CoV-2, 【제목키워드】 pandemic, cross-sectional, Attitude, medical service, Stressor, the SARS-CoV-2,