Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit, Monash University Accident Research Centre. Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
Sci Rep. 2024 Oct 7;14(1):23305. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-73886-8.
There has been limited research on the health impacts of extreme bushfire exposure among emergency responders (ER) involved in suppressing extreme bushfires. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between extreme bushfires and ER's compensated injury and illness in Victoria, Australia. State-wide ER compensation claims from January 2005 to April 2023 were analysed. Logistic regression modelling was used to identify factors associated with compensation claims during the extreme bushfire periods in 2009 and 2019/20, compared to all other claims, adjusting for seasonality (summer). Of the 44,164 included claims, 1105 (2.5%) had recorded injury/disease onset dates within extreme bushfire periods, and 11,642 (26.4%) occurred in summer months. Over half of claims were made by police (52.4%), followed by ambulance officers/paramedics (27.2%) and firefighters (20.5%). Extreme bushfire period claims were associated with older workers (odds ratio/OR = 1.58,95%CI = 1.30-1.92, ages ≥ 55 vs. 35-44 years). Mental disorders (OR = 1.61,95%CI = 1.25-2.07), intracranial injuries (OR = 3.04,95%CI = 1.69-5.48) and infections/parasites (OR = 3.11,95%CI = 1.61-5.98) vs. wounds were associated with extreme bushfire period claims. Given the expected increase in extreme bushfire events and the ageing workforce, study findings underscore the importance of primary and secondary prevention in ER. This can include periodic health surveillance for older workers, access to early treatment, and ongoing support for mental health conditions.
针对参与扑灭极端丛林大火的应急响应人员（ER）中极端丛林大火暴露对健康的影响，相关研究有限。本研究旨在评估澳大利亚维多利亚州极端丛林大火与 ER 人员赔偿性伤害和疾病之间的关联。分析了 2005 年 1 月至 2023 年 4 月期间全州范围内的 ER 赔偿索赔。使用逻辑回归模型，与 2009 年和 2019/20 年极端丛林大火期间的所有其他索赔相比，确定了与极端丛林大火期间赔偿索赔相关的因素，调整了季节性（夏季）因素。在纳入的 44164 项索赔中，有 1105 项（2.5%）记录的损伤/疾病发病日期在极端丛林大火期间，11642 项（26.4%）发生在夏季月份。超过一半的索赔是由警察（52.4%）提出的，其次是救护车人员/护理人员（27.2%）和消防员（20.5%）。极端丛林大火期间的索赔与年龄较大的工人（比值比/OR=1.58，95%CI=1.30-1.92，年龄≥55 岁与 35-44 岁）相关。与创伤相比，精神障碍（OR=1.61，95%CI=1.25-2.07）、颅内损伤（OR=3.04，95%CI=1.69-5.48）和感染/寄生虫（OR=3.11，95%CI=1.61-5.98）与极端丛林大火期间的索赔相关。鉴于极端丛林大火事件预计会增加，以及劳动力老龄化，研究结果强调了 ER 中初级和二级预防的重要性。这可能包括对老年工人进行定期健康监测、早期治疗的机会以及对心理健康状况的持续支持。
