Abstract
Objective: To clarify the efficacy of significant event analysis (SEA) for stress management among disaster relief operation doctors.
Participants and Methods: 67 physicians sent to a disaster site (Tohoku, Japan) as part of the Jichi Medical University Alumni Reunion Earthquake Disaster Support Project. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: one group completed a self-administered SEA test 4 weeks after returning from the disaster site (SEA group), and the other group did not complete a SEA test (non-SEA group).
Main Outcome Measures: Stress scores on the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and K6 scales were recorded 4 and 8 weeks after returning from the disaster site.
Results: No significant differences in IES-R or K6 scores at both 4 and 8 weeks were observed between the SEA group (1.27±5.08 [mean±SD] and 1.83±2.68, respectively) and the non-SEA group (2.43±4.05 and 0.76±3.01, respectively) (p=0.30 and p=0.13, respectively).
Conclusion: The present results suggest that the SEA test is not effective for reducing stress among disaster support doctors.
