By Laura French
BALTIMORE — Researchers are seeking participants for a study investigating the impact of COVID-19-related stress on EMS providers and their loved ones.
University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) researchers seek to examine how EMS providers feel their job has or hasn’t changed, how they feel they are viewed in society and their perceptions of the media’s portrayal of EMS providers prior to and since the start of the pandemic.
EMS providers and their family members, friends, romantic partners or other household members are asked to complete an approximately 30-minute survey online.
Responses will be used to enhance stress coping and mitigation training guidance, according to UMBC researchers. The results will be incorporated into a system to aid EMS trainee teams’ stress comprehension and discussion.
Dr. Andrea Kleinsmith, assistant professor in the Department of Information Systems at UMBC and Akiri Surely, a UMBC doctoral student, can be contacted for further information about the study.