Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 10, 2025

Polar Histogram Visualization of Acute Stress Disorder Scale Scores for Comprehensive Clinical Assessment
Published on: December 6, 2024
Common Mental Health Symptoms in Personnel Working in Helicopter Emergency Medical Services: A Systematic Review
Karina Damsgaard1, Pernille Melander-Nyboe2, Jesper Pihl-Thingvad2
1Corporate HR, Central Denmark Region, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Danish Air Ambulance, Aarhus, Denmark.
Background:
Helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) personnel regularly respond to severe and life-threatening situations, often involving critically ill or injured patients. Yet limited research exists on their mental health outcomes compared with ground-based emergency medical services (EMS). This systematic review synthesizes empirical evidence on mental health symptoms among HEMS personnel, focusing on prevalence rates and key psychological outcomes.
Methods:
A systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus identified original, quantitative studies in English or Scandinavian languages. Studies were included if they reported on at least 1 mental health outcome of interest in HEMS personnel. Study quality was rated using criteria adapted from the National Institute of Health's Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies.
Results:
From 987 identified articles, 33 full texts were screened, and 9 studies were included, comprising 1 longitudinal and 8 cross-sectional designs. Six studies were rated as being fair quality, 2 as good, and 1 as poor. Outcomes evaluated included depression (5 studies), stress (5 studies), post-traumatic stress disorder/symptoms (PTSD; 3 studies), burnout (3 studies), anxiety (2 studies), secondary traumatic stress (1 study), and compassion fatigue (1 study). Across all studies, HEMS personnel reported low prevalence rates for mental health symptoms. However, burnout and depression were more frequently highlighted as concerns than PTSD.
Conclusion:
Despite regular exposure to traumatic stressors, HEMS personnel report low levels of stress, PTSD, anxiety, and secondary traumatic stress, whereas burnout and depression had slightly higher levels, suggesting the need for targeted preventive interventions and support mechanisms within HEMS environments.
More Related Videos
09:52Setting Up a Stroke Team Algorithm and Conducting Simulation-based Training in the Emergency Department - A Practical Guide
Published on: January 15, 2017
04:02Author Spotlight: Developing Precise and Clinically Relevant Models for Studying Secondary Degeneration in Traumatic Optic Neuropathy
Published on: November 29, 2024
Related Concept Videos
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...
Pulmonary Embolism I: Introduction
Anxiety: Overview
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Panic Disorder
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-III: Symptoms and Complications.
Symptoms of COPD can be classified as primary or systemic. Primary symptoms relate to reduced airflow, while systemic or extrapulmonary symptoms relate to COPD's broader impact on the body.
Primary Symptoms of COPD: