| Abstract [eng] |
Jurgita Budraitytė. Master’s Thesis “Health-Related Behavior and Its Associations with Mental Health among Emergency Medical Professionals Working in the Emergency Medical Service”. Supervisor – Prof. Arūnas Emeljanovas. Vilnius University, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Midwifery and Nursing, Vilnius, 2026. Relevance of the study. Emergency medical professionals work under conditions of high emotional and physical workload, constant stress, and responsibility for patients’ lives. Scientific literature mainly focuses on burnout, stress, and working conditions among general nurses, while there is still a lack of studies analyzing health-related behavior and its associations with mental health specifically among emergency medical professionals. Aim of the study – to analyze the characteristics of health-related behavior among emergency medical professionals and its associations with mental health. Objectives of the study: 1. To examine health-related behavior among emergency medical professionals working in the Emergency Medical Service. 2. To analyze the emotional difficulties experienced by emergency medical professionals. 3. To determine the associations between health-related behavior and mental health status. Research methods. A qualitative research method – semi-structured interview – was applied in this study. Fifteen emergency medical professionals working in the Emergency Medical Service and having at least five years of work experience participated in the research. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. The collected data were transcribed, anonymized, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results. The findings revealed that the nature of work, shift work, night duties, and high emotional workload negatively affect the physical and mental health of emergency medical professionals. Respondents most frequently identified fatigue, sleep disturbances, emotional exhaustion, stress, and difficulties maintaining work-life balance. The study also showed that physical activity, support from colleagues, and conscious self-care help reduce emotional tension and improve overall well-being. Conclusions. The study identified a close relationship between health-related behavior and mental health among emergency medical professionals. Working conditions and emotional workload negatively affect specialists’ quality of life; however, adequate rest, physical activity, and social support may contribute to better emotional well-being and stronger psychological resilience. Keywords: emergency medical professional, emergency medical service, mental health, emotional burnout, stress, health-related behavior. |
