Research, Resources, and References
Our mission is to centralize data on first responder and medical worker suicide and take action to prevent it—but we are certainly not the first organization to attempt this.
First Responders
“Police officers and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.”-from the report: Ruderman White Paper on Mental Health and Suicide of First Responders
Statistics
- Police officers are 5 times more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than the general population.
- EMS providers are 1.39 times more likely to commit suicide compared to the general public.
- Over 100 firefighters and EMS suicides are confirmed each year.
Studies/Reports
- “An analysis of suicides among first responders – Findings from the National Violent Death Reporting System, 2015-2017” (Journal of Safety Research, 2023)
- “An Occupational Risk: What Every Police Agency Should Do To Prevent Suicide Among Its Officers” (2019)
- “First Responders: Behavioral Health Concerns, Emergency Response, and Trauma” (SAMHSA, 2018)
- “Mental Health and Suicide of First Responders” (Ruderman Family Foundation, 2022)
- “Firefighter Suicide Reporting” (U.S. Fire Administration, 2021)
Articles
- Suicides Among First Responders: A Call to Action (CDC NIOSH Science Blog, 2021)
- First Responders and Mental Health: When Heroes Need Rescuing (Phsychiatric Times, 2022)
- First Responder Mental Health and Suicide: An Evidence-Based approach (ems.gov, 2021)
- Saving Those Who Save Others: The Battle Against Suicide in Public Safety (ICMA, 2023)
Organizations/Efforts
- National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
- Blue H.E.L.P.
- Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act of 2020
- Florida First Responder Suicide Deterrence Task Force
- Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance
- National Volunteer Fire Council’s Share The Load program
- Badge of Life
- Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation
- First H.E.L.P.
Medical Workers
“Suicide among nurses are higher than that of both the general population and physicians.” -from the report: Association of US Nurse and Physician Occupation With Risk of Suicide
Statistics
- Suicide rates, based on data from 2008-2019:
- Health care support workers: 21.4 per 100,000
- Health technicians: 13.1 per 100,000
- Registered nurses: 16.0 per 100,000
- Physicians: 10.1%
Studies/Reports
- “Suicide Risks of Health Care Workers in the US” (JAMA Network, 2023)
- “Association of US Nurse and Physician Occupation With Risk of Suicide” (JAMA Network, 2021)
- “Suicidal Ideation and Attitudes Toward Help Seeking in U.S. nurses Relative to the General Working Population” (National Library of Medicine, 2021)
Articles
- Nursing Home Workers Had One of the Deadliest Jobs of 2020 (Scientific American, 2021)
- National Study Confirms Nurses at Higher Risk of Suicide than General Population (UCSanDiegoHealth, 2020)
- Nurses Consider Suicide More Than Other US Workers (Oncology Nursing News, 2022)
Organizations/Efforts
- Healer Education Assessment and Referral (HEAR) program
- American Nurses Foundation Well-Being Initiative
Veterans
The VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) has a long history of serving and protecting our county’s veterans. You can find more information on Veteran Suicide Data and Reporting here.
