PTSD prevalence differs across first-responder exposure groups
Among working or volunteering first responders, pooled post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence was higher in routine-exposure samples than disaster-exposed samples. Differences between observational samples cannot establish which exposure is more harmful.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review found higher pooled PTSD prevalence in first-responder samples with routine exposures than in those exposed to large-scale disasters. It also reported some evidence of increasing prevalence in routine-exposure samples. These comparisons describe different observational samples, rather than showing that routine work causes more PTSD than disaster response or explaining the apparent trend.
Prevalence varied with the way PTSD was measured. The abstract does not provide uncertainty intervals for the central prevalence comparison or specify assessment timeframes, limiting interpretation of the difference between exposure groups.
What researchers found
Pooled prevalence among first responders
Comparison across observational samples with different exposure categories. PTSD-assessment timing and confidence intervals for these prevalence estimates were not reported.
What prevalence describes
Prevalence describes how common PTSD was within the sampled groups. These estimates are not the chance that a particular responder will develop PTSD, and the comparison did not follow the same people through both exposure settings.
Other differences in the review
Prevalence was higher in lower-income country samples and among non-volunteers. No differences were detected between occupation or sex subgroups. Those null comparisons do not prove equal prevalence, and the review does not establish explanations for the observed differences.
The original publication
Global PTSD prevalence among active first responders and trends over recent years: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Arena AF, Gregory M, Collins DAJ et al.
Clin Psychol Rev · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40695158
- Record checked
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