COST OF CARING: MENTAL HEALTH OF RESCUE WORKERS

Rabia Waqar¹*, Dr. Ruhi Kahlid^2
1 Ms., Beaconhouse National University, Pakistan, rabia.waqar@bnu.edu.pk
² Dr., Beaconhouse National University, Pakistan, rkhalid@bnu.edu.pk
*Corresponding author

Abstract

Since 9/11 Pakistan has actively participated in War against Terror and as a result the country became a target of terrorist attacks. So far, Pakistan has experienced several terrorist attacks. To deal with the aftermath of such attacks a team of rescue workers known as ‘Rescue/ Disaster Emergency Response Team’ has been trained. The present study examined the impact of repeated exposure of terrorist attacks on the mental health of rescue workers. The sample of this study comprised of 100 rescue workers and 100 university students. Tools used to assess terrorism catastrophizing, hopelessness and death anxiety included Terrorism Catastrophizing Scale (Sinclair & LoCicero, 2007), Beck Hopelessness Scale Inventory (Beck, 1988) and Death Anxiety Scale (Templer, 1970) respectively. Results of the study revealed absence of any significant relationship between terrorism catastrophizing, death anxiety and hopelessness but showed significant differences in the level of terrorism catastrophizing, death anxiety and hopelessness among rescue workers and university students. The results highlight high levels of negative thoughts experienced by rescue workers as compared to university students. Keeping in view the findings of the research the present research can serve as an initial step for further research, which would further study the influence of ongoing terrorism and its effect on the psychological well-being of the rescue workers. Along with this it is an important area which should be taken into account as these terrorist activities are not only having an impact on the mental health of civilians or survivors but also becoming a source of psychological distress for the emergency workers indirectly being exposed to it.

Keywords: Terrorism, Mental Health, Rescue workers.