Firefighters and PTSD: A Network Analysis Over Time

Firefighters face a higher risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to their frequent exposure to traumatic events. While network analysis has provided new insights into PTSD, most studies have been one-time snapshots and don't show how symptoms change or influence each other over time. This study aimed to fill that gap by looking at PTSD symptoms in firefighters over two years. In April 2021, researchers surveyed 637 male firefighters in China. They followed up with another survey in March 2023. They created two snapshots of PTSD symptoms at each time point and looked at how symptoms changed and influenced each other between these points.The results were interesting. At the start, the most important symptoms of PTSD were spread across different dimensions. But by the end, they mostly fell under the avoidance category. The study also found that certain symptoms, like irritability and nightmares, could predict other symptoms over time. This study sheds light on the changing nature of PTSD symptoms in firefighters and how they influence each other. It could help in designing better prevention and intervention strategies in the future.