Explorating the Relationship between Work-Family Conflict, Social Support and Physical-Mental Well-Being among Firefighters

• Main Authors: KAO, WAN-CHI, 高婉琪
• Other Authors: SUNG, SU-CHING
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/w2th46

碩士 === 長庚科技大學 === 健康照護研究所 === 106 === Background: Firefighting personnel in Taiwan have limited manpower allocation. Depending on counties and cities, they have a work shift pattern of one day off after one-day duty or one day off after two-day duties. The heavy duties and the duty shift pattern make them not possible to take regular vacations and have normal life and work routines. Therefore, firefighting personnel often cannot participate in family activities. This would result in conflicts between the work, family time, and the conversion of roles and in turn affect their physical and mental health. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to explore the relevance of occupational conflicts, social support, and physical and mental health among firefighting personnel and to investigate whether social support can moderate occupational conflicts and reduce physical and mental health problems. Methods: From September 15 to December 31, 2017, 400 self-administered questionnaires were send to the first-line firefighting personnel from 45 battalions of the four major district headquarters in Taipei City Fire Department. Demographic data, work-family conflict scale, social support scale, and Chinese health scale were included in the questionnaire. Three hundred and ninety-two questionnaires were collected, after excluding incomplete data, 377 were valid respondents. The recovery rate was 98%, and the questionnaire efficiency was 96.2%. Results:  1.The gender distribution showed male-dominant (95.2%), with an average age of 31.2 years old. 2.The firefighting personnel reported a moderate degree of work-family conflict and social support. The highest social support was from the family and the lowest was the supervisor; 43.1% of firefighters reported poor physical-mental health condition. 3.Age, marital status, child bearing, job position, seniority, work-family conflict, and social support variables are significantly correlated with physical-mental health. Those who reported higher perception of family-work conflict also showed poorer the social support, higher family-work conflict, and poorer physical-mental health status.   4. Based on hierarchical regression analysis, we found that marital status, job position and both work-family conflict and family-work conflict subscales in the work-family conflict scale, and family support subscale in the social support scale were the factors that affected the physical and mental health status of the firefighting personnel. Those who served as captains in battalions revealed higher work-family conflicts, poorer social support, and more negative physical and mental health status. 5.The family support subscale in social support among firefighting personnel can be used as an independent factor to improve physical and mental health. It also has the function of mitigating work-family conflict. Conclusions and Suggestions: The physical and mental status of firefighting personnel should be taken seriously. Family support bears the capability of mitigating the work-family conflict and improving physical and mental health. Therefore, the governing authorities should acknowledge the importance of family support among firefighters, show concern of their possible work-family conflicts, provide care and reconcile those conflicts in order to enhance their physical and mental well-being.