Understanding Mental Health among Military Veterans in the Fire Service

Firefighters represent a unique population by virtue of their exposure to chronic stress and potentially traumatic events ([PTE], e.g., natural disasters, car accidents, terrorist attacks; (McCammon, 1996). Thus, firefighters are at heightened risk for the development of negative mental health outcomes, such as alcohol misuse, depression, suicidal thoughts/behaviors, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Haslam and Mallon, 2003; Martin et al., 2017; Stanley et al., 2016). Despite the elevated risk for psychological disturbances among firefighters, there still remains a dearth of information regarding their mental health.

Source: Psychiatry Research - June 13, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Brooke A. Bartlett, Lia J. Smith, Jana K. Tran, Anka A. Vujanovic Source Type: research