Emergency medical services (EMS) professionals: Unpacking anxiety, burnout, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social support perceptions.

Abstract

This study examined associations among burnout, mental health symptoms, and suicidal risk in emergency medical services (EMS) professionals. A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 315 EMS professionals (53.5% men, 45.4% women). Participants completed the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Maslach Burnout Inventory, along with demographic and work-related items. Burnout, anxiety, and depression were positively associated with suicidal risk. Higher scores on Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale subscales and Maslach Burnout Inventory domains corresponded with higher Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised scores, and suicidal risk differed across gender categories, with elevated scores among participants selecting a gender option outside the male/female binary. Findings underscore the interrelated nature of burnout and psychological distress in EMS professionals and support the need for accessible, evidence-based mental health interventions that address both individual symptoms and occupational stressors in EMS settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).