A qualitative exploration of the views of paramedics regarding the use of dark humour.

Abstract

Introduction: Dark humour, often known as black comedy or gallows humour, is a distinct kind of humour that explores subjects that are generally taboo or uncomfortable. Identifying the function and impact of black humour is important given the prevalence of life-or-death situations, crucial clinical judgements and emotionally charged situations in the pre-hospital environment. The primary aim is to investigate the world of dark humour within the setting of experienced paramedics.

Methods: A qualitative approach was employed. Ten paramedics, each with over 24 months' experience, were recruited via word of mouth and snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted between October 2023 and January 2024, and data were studied using thematic analysis.

Results: Four themes were identified: the perceptions of dark humour from the public, students and colleagues; the use of dark humour in building resilience and improving perseverance; the negatives to mental health of prolonged use of black humour; and the benefits of humour use to develop camaraderie within the ambulance service.

Conclusion: The study explored the views of a small sample of paramedics on this subject. Dark humour was identified as both a beneficial coping mechanism for resilience and a means of fostering camaraderie. Conversely, a chronic reliance on dark humour can have negative mental health implications. Utilising the usage of coping mechanisms such as dark humour as a yardstick to measure mental well-being could be an important first step in adopting a more holistic approach to mental health within the paramedic community.