Work-Related Predictors of Psychological Distress among Medical Examiner and Coroner Personnel

Abstract

Personnel employed in medical examiner and coroner offices are involved in the identification of the deceased, the determination of causes of death, and the communication of this information to relevant parties, including the families of the victims, public health authorities and the criminal justice system. Although the mental health needs of other types of emergency workers (i.e., fire, police, emergency medical services) have been well identified and acknowledged in the literature and in planning efforts, the mental health needs of medical examiner and coroner personnel have not received the same attention. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of mental and physical health symptoms among employees of medical examiner and coroner offices. Data was collected from a convenience sample composed of employees of eight medical examiner sites nationwide, attendees of a coroners' conference, and through the web. A total of 395 employees completed a survey evaluating symptoms of depression, posttraumatic stress, anxiety, self-reported health and sleep quality. Results indicated variations among job titles in the intensity of mental and physical health symptoms, with investigators, clerical and administrative staff, and coroners reporting the highest levels of symptoms. Work-related stressors associated with increased levels of psychological symptoms included: exposure to cases involving the accidental death of infants, as well as stress associated with interacting with the families of the deceased and concerns about bringing home infection or illness. The results have implications for the development of intervention strategies designed to prevent work-related illness in medical examiner personnel.