Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41044626›Full record

SynthesisScandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine2025

Silent crisis on the frontlines: a systematic review of suicidal behaviors among disaster responders - epidemiology, risk pathways, and evidence-based interventions.

Shandiz Moslehi, Asghar Tavan, Mehdi Khezeli, Samira Soleimanpour, Sajjad Narimani

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Scandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Shandiz MoslehiHealth Management and Economics Research Center, Health Management Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Asghar TavanHealth in Disasters and Emergencies Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Mehdi KhezeliSocial Development & Health Promotion Research Center, Health Policy and Promotion Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
Samira SoleimanpourAssistant professor of Medical Librarianship and information sciences, Educational Development Center (EDC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Sajjad NarimaniDepartment of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. sn.narimani@gmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFirst responders (including paramedics, firefighters, police, and dispatchers) experience significantly elevated suicide risk due to repeated trauma exposure, high rates of PTSD and depression, and systemic barriers to mental healthcare. This systematic review examines (1) suicide prevalence, (2) psychological and occupational risk factors, and (3) interventions across different emergency service roles and global contexts.

methodThis study rigorously adhered to the PRISMA guidelines in conducting a systematic and comprehensive analysis of 24 peer-reviewed studies (up to February 2025), meticulously sourced from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase. Only studies providing unique qualitative or quantitative insights into Suicidal Behaviors Among Disaster Responders were included. The extracted data was meticulously examined using advanced thematic analysis and robust descriptive statistics, ensuring a deep, evidence-based exploration of this critical issue.

resultsThe systematic analysis of 24 studies revealed four critical categories shaping suicidal behaviors among disaster responders: (1) Epidemiology and Prevalence, highlighting elevated risks in firefighters and EMS personnel; (2) Psychological and Occupational Risk Factors, including PTSD, depression, and workplace burnout; (3) Systemic and Cultural Barriers, such as stigma and rural access gaps; and (4) Interventions and Solutions, demonstrating efficacy in trauma-focused therapies, peer support, and policy reforms like Houston's zero-suicide program. Thematic synthesis underscored the interplay of individual vulnerabilities and structural failures, urging integrated, occupation-specific prevention strategies.

conclusionEffective prevention requires integrated clinical interventions (trauma-focused therapies), organizational reforms (routine screenings), and cultural shifts (destigmatization).

Indexed as

Emergency RespondersSuicidal IdeationSuicideHumansRisk FactorsFirst respondersMental health interventionsOccupational traumaSuicidal behaviors

Identifiers

PMID41044626
PMCPMC12495821

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.