National Fallen Firefighter Foundation's (NFFF) Stress First Aid Intervention

NCT ID: NCT05931523

Last Updated: 2023-07-10

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 659 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2016-01-31
• Study Completion Date: 2018-10-31

Brief Summary

Purpose & Aims: Behavioral health interventions implemented to mitigate negative outcomes linked to trauma in the fire service have had limited or iatrogenic effects on firefighters. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) and the national fire service community have invested considerable resources developing a new behavioral health model to address exposure to traumatic events. The proposed randomized controlled trial will be the first to determine the efficacy of the NFFF's Consensus Protocol on Firefighter Behavioral Health Stress First Aid Intervention (SFAI), as well as evaluating its implementation and acceptability.

Relevance: The SFAI was the result of one of the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives developed in consultation with the leading fire service organizations in the United States and experts from the traumatic stress research community. Failing to effectively address grief and trauma incidents or symptoms can have devastating effects for firefighters, fire departments, and families. The SFAI was developed to be the national model of trauma intervention to ensure that evidence-based cost-effective care is available to all firefighters.

Methods: Using a cluster randomized clinical trial design (CRCT), experienced scientists and fire service personnel will evaluate the implementation, acceptability, and initial efficacy of the SFAI compared with usual care (i.e., delayed intervention) with 10 fire departments (8 Career, 2 Volunteer) located across the country. Study outcomes include measures assessing implementation of SFAI components, acceptability among firefighters and department leadership, changes in knowledge about and self-efficacy for managing trauma, changes in department morale, and individual firefighter behavioral health outcomes such as symptoms of PTSD and personal growth through coping with traumatic events.

Projected Results & Conclusions: Findings will provide the empirical basis for the newly developed SFAI.

Detailed Description

Ten fire departments from across the nation (8 career, 2 volunteer) were recruited for this study. In Aims 1 and 2, program evaluation methods were used to examine the implementation and acceptability of the SFAI intervention components. These evaluation methods were based on standard practices which employs a systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and using information to answer questions about the implementation and acceptability of the SFAI. In Aim 3 a pilot CRCT was conducted comparing the SFAI versus control (delayed treatment) on key behavioral health outcomes. Four career departments were randomized to the SFAI condition and 4 to the control condition. Statistical power analysis was based on these 8 career departments and will provide the primary project outcomes. Between groups outcomes were assessed at 12-months.

Conditions

Mental Health Issue

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Stress First Aid

Fire Departments received the Stress First Aid intervention trainings, tools, and resources.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Stress First Aid

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The focus of the model is ongoing monitoring of stress in personnel, wide spread training to help personnel recognize peers or subordinates who may need additional assistance, a spectrum of one-on-one interventions, and the ability to provide personnel higher levels of care when indicated.

Wait List Control

Fire Departments in this condition did not receive any intervention or training until the end of their observation year.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Stress First Aid

The focus of the model is ongoing monitoring of stress in personnel, wide spread training to help personnel recognize peers or subordinates who may need additional assistance, a spectrum of one-on-one interventions, and the ability to provide personnel higher levels of care when indicated.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Firefighters over the age of 18 willing to complete surveys
• Active in a department selected for the study

Exclusion Criteria

• Those under the age of 18

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

NDRI-USA, Inc.

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Sara Jahnke

Senior Scientist

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Other Identifiers

EMW-2014-FP-00945

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id