Coping strategies for managing stress among the disaster responders in the barangays of Polangui, Albay / John Ted P. Sumalinog

Masters Theses (MAN) - Nursing. Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges, 2024.

Includes bibliographic references.

Disaster responders are frequently exposed to high-stress situations that can affect their physical, emotional, and environmental well-being. Understanding their coping strategies is essential for improving their resilience and performance in disaster response operations. This descriptive-correla study aimed to determine the coping strategies used by 188 out of 352 disaster responders from 44 barangays in the Municipality of Polangui. Data were collected through a structured survey and analyzed using statistical treatments such as percentage technique, weighted mean, Chi-square Test of Independence, and paired t-test. The majority of the disaster responders were middle-aged, married males, Roman Catholic, college graduates, and earned less than P12,082 per month. Most had attended training in Disaster Management Planning, Disaster Risk Assessment, and Disaster Management. A significant relationship was found between age and sex and physical stressors, while other demographic variables showed no significant relationship with the identified stressors. Coping strategies showed no significant relationship with physical and emotional stressors. However, problem-focused coping and social support strategies were significantly related to environmental stressors. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions that enhance coping strategies, particularly in addressing environmental stressors. The results guided the formulation of a management plan aimed at improving the responders' ability to manage stress through effective coping mechanisms.