Psychological factors influence the gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and their effect on quality of life among firefighters in South Korea

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine psychosocial factors related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and their effects on quality of life (QOL) in firefighters. Methods: Data were collected from 1217 firefighters in a Korean province. We measured psychological symptoms using the scale. In order to observe the influence of the high-risk group on occupational stress, we conduct logistic multiple linear regression. The correlation between psychological factors and QOL was also analyzed and performed a hierarchical regression analysis. Results: GERD was observed in 32.2% of subjects. Subjects with GERD showed higher depressive symptom, anxiety and occupational stress scores, and lower self-esteem and QOL scores relative to those observed in GERD - negative subject. GERD risk was higher for the following occupational stress subcategories: job demand, lack of reward, interpersonal conflict, and occupational climate. The stepwise regression analysis showed that depressive symptoms, occupational stress, self-esteem, and anxiety were the best predictors of QOL. Conclusions: The results suggest that psychological and medical approaches should be combined in GERD assessment.