Helicopter emergency staff reported low symptom levels, with burnout and depression more prominent
A review of observational studies found generally low reported mental health symptoms, but it did not establish how helicopter crews compared with ground crews.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Across the included studies, helicopter emergency personnel generally reported low levels of mental health symptoms. Burnout and depression stood out as greater concerns than post-traumatic stress symptoms. The findings describe reported symptoms in the studied crews; they do not show that this work protects mental health or establish a difference from ground emergency services.
Most studies assessed personnel at a single point in time and received a fair quality rating. This abstract-based account lacks numerical prevalence estimates and direct results comparing helicopter and ground emergency staff.
A broad set of symptoms
The review covered depression, stress, post-traumatic stress, burnout, anxiety, secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue. These outcomes were not assessed equally often, and the abstract summarizes their pattern without giving the underlying prevalence estimates.
A mostly cross-sectional evidence base
The evidence mainly came from cross-sectional studies, with a longitudinal study also included. Quality ratings were mostly fair, with some good and poor ratings. This study mix limits conclusions about how symptoms developed over time.
The original publication
Common Mental Health Symptoms in Personnel Working in Helicopter Emergency Medical Services: A Systematic Review.
Damsgaard K, Melander-Nyboe P, Pihl-Thingvad J et al.
Air Med J · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40849160
- Record checked
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