A five year study comparing early retirements on medical grounds in ambulance personnel with those in other groups of health service staff: Part II: Causes of retirements

The objective of this study was to compare morbidity betweenambulance staff and other groups of health service workers,to facilitate planning of occupational health (OH) services.A retrospective study of employees of the Eastern Health andSocial Services Board, Northern Ireland was conducted. Subjectswere 181 men and 353 women assessed at OH between 1988–92and found eligible (on the basis of permanent incapacity) toapply for early retirement on medical grounds (EROMG). Whencauses of retirement were looked at it was found that musculoskeletal,circulatory and mental disorders were most common in all groups(overall making up three-quarters of retirements). Differencesin causes of retirements between different groups of workerswere not found to be statistically significant, but when malestaff were compared ambulance staff showed the highest proportionof retirements due to circulatory disorders. Retirements dueto musculoskeletal disorders occurred after shorter servicethan those due to mental disorders and those due to mental disordersoccurred after shorter service than those due to circulatorydisorders; these findings achieved statistical significance.In comparison with previous studies this study showed the highestproportion of ambulance retirements due to mental disorders,with an unexpectedly high proportion being related to alcoholproblems. Occupational health services for ambulance staff wouldbe best targeted towards facilitating the development of physicalfitness and rehabilitation programmes, and health promotionalactivities such as training in stress management.