An exploratory study of themental health of first responders:depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder

Abstract

This exploratory study investigated the mental health status of first responders, specifically police officers and paramedics (n = 429), primarily from the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Participants completed an electronic questionnaire, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, and the post-traumatic stress disorder Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition. Descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations, were calculated. In addition, a one-sample t-test was performed to compare the means obtained in this study with those from other studies involving samples from the African continent and international contexts. The instruments demonstrated strong reliability, consistent with previous studies conducted in South Africa. Using established cutoff scores from the literature, the study found that 47.3% of the sample would qualify for a diagnosis of depression, 37.8% for generalized anxiety disorder, and 48.5% for post-traumatic stress disorder. These levels are notably high, underscoring the significant psychological burden carried by first responders. The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted mental health interventions tailored to the unique stressors faced by first responders, as well as the importance of addressing barriers to help-seeking within this population group. © The Author(s) 2025.