Factors Associated with Stress Management Behaviors among Ambulance Drivers in Trang Province

Abstract

Background: Ambulance drivers are under high-pressure work, placing drivers at increased risk of both accidents and psychological stress. Maintaining good physical and mental health among ambulance drivers is essential to mitigating these risks.
Objective: To study stress management behaviors and identify factors associated with stress management among ambulance drivers in Trang Province.
Material and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design. Data were collected from January to February 2025. The sample consisted of a total of 187 ambulance drivers in Trang Province. A structured questionnaire was used as the research instrument. The reliability of the tool was verified using Cronbach’s alpha, yielding coefficients of .750 for work-related factors, .789 for environmental factors, and .908 for stress management behaviors. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, including the Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, and Pearson correlation coefficient, with a significance level set at 0.05.
Results: Out of 187 participants, 157 completed the questionnaire, accounting for 83.94% of the sample. All respondents were male, with a mean age of 42.0 years and an average of 8.3 years of emergency driving experience. On average, they drove 90.7 kilometers per day and responded to two critical patients daily. Approximately 50.3% had completed emergency driving training. Most participants demonstrated moderate levels of stress management behaviors (81.5%). Factors significantly associated with stress management behaviors (p-value < 0.05) included chronic diseases, energy drink consumption, completion of emergency driving training, occupational health risks, work-related peer pressure, and musculoskeletal pain.
Conclusion: Enhancing physical and mental health support systems for ambulance drivers in Trang Province alongside stress management training, team relationship building, and the development of positive communication skills, especially among high-risk groups will contribute to improve mental well-being, reduce stress, enhance decision-making efficiency, fewer accidents, and overall improvement in the safety and quality of emergency services.