Sleep Med Psychophysiol.  2024 Dec;31(2):29-40. 10.14401/KASMED.2024.31.2.29.

Mind Vital Signs: A New Paradigm for Mental Health Management in High-Risk Professionals

• Shim Y
• Kwon S
• Jeong H
• Yoon S
• Lyoo IK

• KMID: 2564179
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14401/KASMED.2024.31.2.29

Abstract

Public health and safety professionals, including firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical personnel, serve as critical pillars of public safety and societal well-being. These professions require navigating environments characterized by ‘brittleness’, ‘anxiety’, ‘nonlinearity’, and ‘incomprehensibility’—conditions that lead to chronic physical and psychological stress. This stress significantly elevates the risk of mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and sleep disturbances, while also increasing the likelihood of human errors driven by cognitive lapses. Such challenges extend beyond individual health, undermining organizational efficiency and ultimately jeopardizing public safety and societal welfare. Existing mental health management systems predominantly depend on reactive interventions, which are insufficient to meet the dynamic and unpredictable demands of high-risk occupational environments. As a proactive alternative, this paper introduces the concept of ‘Mind Vital Signs,’ an innovative framework that expands the traditional concept of vital signs into the mental health domain. Mind Vital Signs integrates physiological indicators—including heart rate variability, physical activity, respiratory rates, and sleep patterns—with psychological and behavioral data such as ecological momentary assessments and life logs. By employing real-time monitoring and advanced analytics, this multidimensional system facilitates early detection of mental health risks and supports targeted and timely preventive interventions. The implementation of Mind Vital Signs not only bolsters individual resilience and organizational stability but also enhances operational efficiency and strengthens public safety and societal well-being. Future research should prioritize clinical validation and policy development to ensure the effective integration and scalability of Mind Vital Signs in high-risk occupational settings.

Keyword

High-risk professionals; Human error; Mental health; Mind vital signs