ESTONIAN ACADEMY
PUBLISHERS
eesti teaduste
akadeemia kirjastus
PUBLISHED
SINCE 1952
 
Proceeding cover
proceedings
of the estonian academy of sciences
ISSN 1736-7530 (Electronic)
ISSN 1736-6046 (Print)
Impact Factor (2024): 0.7

Research article
Firefighter well-being in the Baltics: a comparative study of physical activity, psychosocial risks, and management strategies in Estonian and Latvian fire services; pp. 219–227
PDF | https://doi.org/10.3176/proc.2026.3.06

Authors
Marina Järvis ORCID Icon, Karin Reinhold ORCID Icon, Jelena Hartšenko ORCID Icon, Tatjana Tambovceva ORCID Icon, Jeļena Pundure ORCID Icon, Evija Liepa-Hazaleja ORCID Icon
Abstract

Firefighting demands exceptional physical and cognitive capacity in hazardous, unpredictable environments. This comparative study examined firefighter well-being in Estonia and Latvia using the job demands-resources (JD-R) model. A mixed-methods approach (2020‒2024) included questions from the COPSOQ II questionnaire (N = 400 Estonian firefighters in 2020, N = 408 Estonian firefighters in 2023, and N = 804 Latvian firefighters in 2024) and focus group interviews conducted in Estonia. Rising body mass index (BMI) trends were linked to high job demands, irregular shifts, sleep disruption, physical activity, health behaviours, psychosocial stressors, and constrained recovery. Consistent with the JD-R model, organisational resources (health promotion, supportive supervision, scheduling flexibility) significantly influenced well-being and health behaviours across both countries. Although occupational hazards and risks were comparable, differences in resource allocation and organisational support were decisive for engagement and sustainability. These findings provide an evidence-based framework for fire service leadership to develop targeted health promotion and preventive strategies that enhance firefighter retention and operational effectiveness.

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