Table 1

Sociodemographic and employment characteristics

CharacteristicMeanSD
Age (years) (n=1145)41.010.9
Duration of employment as paramedic (n=1118)13.39.8
n%
Sex (n=1151)
 Male76166.1
 Female38933.8
 Unknown/other10.1
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (n=1150)
 Yes272.3
 No112397.7
State of employment (n=1150)
 Australian Capital Territory10.1
 New South Wales41335.9
 Northern Territory363.1
 Queensland36131.4
 South Australia514.4
 Tasmania575.0
 Victoria22919.9
 Western Australia20.2
Geographical location of employment (n=1151)
 Metropolitan54847.6
 Regional31227.1
 Rural25622.2
 Remote353.0
Paramedic role (n=1148)
 General care paramedic49142.8
 Paramedic manager17715.4
 Intensive care paramedic16214.1
 Other1129.8
 Extended care paramedic917.9
 Ambulance officer635.5
 Graduate intern353.0
 Flight paramedic110.9
 Retrieval paramedic20.2
 First responder20.2
 Patient transport attendant20.2
Frequency of daily or weekly contact with client group (n=519)
 Depression with AOD problems35468.2
 Depression without AOD problems34467.2
 Psychosis with AOD problems21444.2
 Psychosis without AOD problems19440.8
Extent to which prequalification education and training addressed assessment and management of clients who are: None/little,
% (n) 		Moderately/great extent, % (n)
 Depressed or have low mood54.6 (672)22.1 (271)
 Paranoid and/or hallucinating49.1 (604)27.5 (339)
 Intoxicated with alcohol and/or drugs25.3 (312)51.3 (631)
Extent to which ongoing professional education and  training addressed assessment and management of clients who are:
 Depressed or have low mood51.8 (637)24.8 (305)
 Paranoid and/or hallucinating48.7 (599)27.9 (343)
 Intoxicated with alcohol and/or drugs32.5 (400)44.1 (542)

  • AOD, alcohol and other drug.