Investigation of Relationship Between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Quality of Life Among Firefighters in Birjand City at 2018

​Background: Firefighters are known as high-risk groups to have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to the nature of their duties. The occurrence of such disorders eventually leads to a decrease in the quality of life and job productivity in this occupational group. This study was designed to assess the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorders and quality of life among firefighters. Methods: This analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted on all firefighters in Birjand city (N=96) in 2018. The data was collected from a demographicchr(chr(chr('39')39chr('39'))39chr(chr('39')39chr('39')))s questionnaire, WHO questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) to assess the quality of life and the Mississippi scale to assess post-traumatic stress disorder.  Results:  The average of age and work experience of the 96 firefighters was 36.7±5.4 and 10.1±5.3 years, respectively. The results showed that most firefighters (70.5%) were suffered from moderate PTSD symptoms. Based on the self-report scale, 53.7% of the firefighters rated their quality of life Good, and 43.2% of the firefighters were satisfied with their health.  Conclusion: The results of this study has proven the existence of a high rate of PTSD among firefighters, and its negative impact on the quality of their life. The implementation of strategies to combat mental disorders among firefighters improves the quality of their life and increases their job productivity.