EMS workers face triple the risk for mental health problems Emergency medical service (EMS) workers face triple the risk for significant mental health problems such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder compared to the general population, according to a recently published study by researchers from Syracuse University. The study also showed that daily mental health symptoms for EMS workers can be reduced through recovery activities such as exercising, socializing with other people, and finding meaning in the day's challenges. The study, "Dynamic psychosocial risk and protective factors associated with mental health in Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel," was published recently by the