Occupational stress of emergency workers in Gauteng

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine the construct validity, internal consistency, construct equivalence and item bias of the Emergency Worker Stress Inventory (EWSI) and to identify occupational stressors for emergency workers. A cross-sectional survey design was used. An accidental sample (N = 405) of emergency workers in Gauteng was used. The EWSI was developed as a measuring instrument and administered together with a biographical questionnaire. Three internally consistent stress factors, namely Lack of Resources, Job Demands and Inherent Emergency Work Stressors w ere extracted. Low structural equivalence regarding perceived stressors was detected for the Nguni-language group. No practically significant differences were found between occupational stressors of emergency workers in different positions and language groups.

Opsomming
Die doelstellings van hierdie navorsing was om die konstrukgeldigheid, interne konsekwentheid, konstrukekwivalensie en itemsydigheid van die Nooddienswerker Stresvraelys (NWSV) te bepaal en beroepstressore vir nooddienswerkers te identifiseer. ’n Dwarssnee opname-ontwerp is gebruik. Die studiepopulasie is met behulp van ’n beskikbaarheidsteekproef (N = 405) van nooddienswerkers in Gauteng verkry. Die NWSV is ontwikkel vir die studie en saam met ’n biografiese vraelys afgeneem. Drie interne konsekwente stresfaktore, naamlik Tekort aan Hulpbronne, Poseise en Inherente Nooddiens Stressore is onttrek. Lae konstrukekwivalensie is ten opsigte van waargenome stressore vir die Nguni taalgroep gevind. Geen prakties betekenisvolle verskille is tussen die beroepstressore van nooddienswerkers in verskillende posisies en taalgroepe gevind nie.