Weathering the Storm: Stress Management of Filipino First Responders Using the "Mi Salud" Stress Check App.

Background and Objective: First responders must be physically and mentally healthy to ensure effective emergency response. However, literature showed that Filipino first responders continue to have elevated levels of stress and increased risk for post-traumatic stress and other mental health problems months after their deployment. The "Mi Salud" app was created to help Filipino first responders, their team leaders, and their agencies monitor and manage the responders' real-time stress levels before, during, and after their deployment more effectively. Methods: The "Mi Salud" app was pretested with Filipino first responders (n=30) to establish convergent validity using existing validated scales measuring the same construct. Participants also completed a Likert scale and questionnaire to assess user experience and app recommendations. During the rollout, first responders (n=32) tested the app and completed a survey on user experience and app recommendations. A focus group discussion (n=11; FGD) was conducted to further explore their experiences with the app. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, while FGD data were examined through thematic analysis. Results: Results from the online survey showed that the app was generally found to be helpful and that the recommendations within the app were useful. The emerging themes from the FGD corroborated many of the themes from the survey, particularly the benefits of using the app and the app's ease of use. Positive effects were observed both on the responders and on the responders' team leader and teammates, which further established the value of the "Mi Salud" app. Conclusion: The findings show that the "Mi Salud" stress check-app may serve as a useful tool for monitoring and managing the stress levels, a critical aspect for Filipino first responders to maintain optimal functioning during deployments and daily activities.