Effects of social support on job burnout among police officers: Mediating role of psychological empowerment / 环境与职业医学

Background The high-pressure and high-risk nature of the police profession may consume individual resources and lead to job burnout. Objective To understand the current situation of police job burnout, and test potential mediating role of psychological empowerment between social support and job burnout. Methods From May to October 2020, a questionnaire survey was conducted among police officers in cities A and B of Sichuan Province by convenience sampling. The Perceived Social Support Scale, Psychological Empowerment Scale, and Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey were used to evaluate social support, psychological empowerment, and job burnout respectively. Mediation effect of psychological empowerment on the relationship between social support and job burnout was tested using bias-corrected bootstrap method. Results Of the 483 questionnaires recovered, there were 461 valid questionnaires (95.44%). The M (P25, P75) scores of social support, psychological empowerment, and job burnout were 5.00 (3.50, 5.83), 3.25 (2.00, 4.25), and 3.61 (2.43, 3.88), respectively. The positive rate of job burnout was 93.92% (433/461), of which 42.51% (196/461) and 51.41% (237/461) of the participants were at mild to moderate and severe levels of job burnout respectively. The results of Spearman correlation analysis showed that social support and psychological empowerment were negatively correlated with job burnout (r=−0.265, −0.328, P<0.01), and social support was positively corrected with psychological empowerment (r=0.390, P<0.01). The Bootstrap test results showed that social support negatively affected job burnout (β=−0.193, P<0.001) and positively affected psychological empowerment (β=0.330, P<0.001). Psychological empowerment negatively affected job burnout (β=−0.212, P<0.001) and played a partial mediating role in the relationship between social support and job burnout, and the effect value was −0.070 (95%CI: −0.097, −0.047) that accounted for 36.27% of the total effect. Conclusion Job burnout is prevalent among the police officers. Social support has a negative effect on job burnout, and psychological empowerment plays a partial mediating role between social support and job burnout.

Examination of anthropometric characteristics of police academy students / Examen de las características antropométricas de los estudiantes de la academia de policía

SUMMARY: Anthropometric data, which is highly correlated with health and high level of physical capacity, is very important for police officer. The aim of this study was to examine the anthropometric data of police college students and compare in terms of gender. Fifty-two police college students (32 females and 20 males) participated in the present study. Index calculations were made by applying anthropometric test measurements to all participants. The data included anthropometric (length measurements, width measurements, circumference measurement) and index [Body Mass Index (BMI), Cormic Index (C-Index), Body Adiposity Index (BAI), Ponderal Index (PI), Conicity Index (Con-Index) Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR)] parameters. The Independent Sample T-Test was used to analyze the difference in groups. A statistically significant difference was found in all parameters except leg length in length measurements (p<0.05). The mean of all width measurements except shoulder width of females was higher than that of male participants. Differences were obtained in all variables except hand and hip-width (p<0.05). In circumference measurements, there was a difference between the groups in the measurement values of the relaxed arm, maximum arm, wrist, shoulder, chest, and hip circumferences (p<0.05). The BAI, PI, WHtR, and Con-Index values were significantly different between groups (p<0.05). In conclusion, the length, width, circumference, and kinanthropometric indexes of male and female police candidates differ. Although male have higher mean values in length and circumference measurements, female have a higher mean for width measurements. Females have higher mean values in general in terms of index values and they are inincreased risk group in terms of WHtR index. It can be recommended for all participants, especially females, to participate in regular physical activity after they start working.

RESUMEN: Los datos antropométricos que están fuertemente correlacionados con la salud y el alto nivel de capacidad física, son muy importantes para el oficial de policía. El objetivo de este estudio fue examinar los datos antropométricos de estudiantes universitarios de policía y compararlos en relación al género. En el estudio participaron 52 estudiantes universitarios de policía (32 mujeres y 20 hombres). Los cálculos de los índices a los participantes se realizaron aplicando mediciones de pruebas antropométricas. Los datos antropométricos incluyeron (medidas de longitud, ancho y circunferencia) además de índice [Índice de masa corporal (IMC), Índice córmico (Índice C), Índice de adiposidad corporal (IAC), Índice ponderal (IP), Índice de conicidad (Con-Índice) y Relación cintura-altura (WHtR)]. Se utilizó la prueba T para muestras independientes para analizar la diferencia entre los grupos. Se encontró una diferencia estadísticamente significativa en todos los parámetros excepto en la longitud de las piernas (p<0,05). La media de todas las medidas de ancho excepto el ancho de los hombros de las mujeres fue mayor que la de los hombres. Se obtuvieron diferencias en todas las variables excepto en el ancho de manos y caderas (p<0,05). En las medidas de circunferencia, hubo diferencia entre los grupos en el brazo relajado, brazo máximo, muñeca, hombro, pecho y cadera (p<0,05). Los valores de BAI, IPI, WHtR y Con-Index fueron significativamente diferentes entre los grupos (p<0,05). En conclusión, los índices de largo, ancho, circunferencia y cineantropométricos de los candidatos a policías difieren entre hombres y mujeres. Aunque los hombres tienen valores medios más altos en las medidas de longitud y circunferencia, las mujeres tienen una media más alta en las medidas de ancho. Las mujeres tienen valores medios más altos en general, en términos de valores de índice, y se encuentran en un grupo de mayor riesgo en términos de índice WHtR. Se puede recomendar a todos los candidatos y candidatas a policía, especialmente a las mujeres, que participen en actividades físicas regularmente después de comenzar a trabajar.

Suicídios em uma organização policial-militar do sul do Brasil / Suicides in a military police organization in southern Brazil

Resumo Introdução O suicídio é considerado um problema de saúde pública. Todos os anos 840 mil pessoas tiram a própria vida. Em policiais militares as taxas de suicídio também são altas. Objetivo Este trabalho buscou investigar características socio-ocupacionais em casos de suicídios de policiais militares de Santa Catarina, Brasil, ocorridos entre os anos de 2012 a 2016. Método Trata-se de um estudo documental, descritivo e de abordagem quantitativa, que utilizou informações socio-ocupacionais disponibilizadas pela organização sobre casos de suicídios de policiais militares. Resultados Todos os policiais militares que cometeram suicídio eram do sexo masculino (n = 14) e boa parte tinha filhos (85,71%). Dos casos de suicídio, 85,71% ocorreram na carreira de praças, especialmente no primeiro grau na hierarquia militar (soldados), com metade dos casos (n = 7). Em todos os casos, havia parte do salário comprometido com empréstimos ou dívidas financeiras. Conclusão Características ocupacionais importantes em determinadas situações podem vir a se tornar um fator de risco ao suicídio de policiais militares. Outras pesquisas são necessárias, especialmente considerando outras fontes de informação importantes não utilizadas nesta investigação.

Abstract Background Suicide is considered a public health problem. Every year 840,000 people take their own lives. In military police, suicide rates are also high. Objective This study aimed to investigate occupational and social characteristics in cases of suicide of military police officers from Santa Catarina, Brazil, from 2012 to 2016. Method This is a documentary, descriptive and quantitative study, using socio-occupational information provided by the organization about suicide cases of military police officers. Results All military police officers who committed suicide are male (n = 14) and most have children (85.71%). About 85.71% of the suicide cases occurred in lower rank positions, especially in the first degree in the military hierarchy. Soldiers accounted for half of the cases (n = 7). In all cases, part of the salary was committed with loans or financial debts. Conclusion Important occupational characteristics in certain situations may become a risk factor for suicide of military police officers. Further research is needed, especially considering other important sources of information not used in this investigation.

Síndrome metabólica em militares de uma unidade da polícia de Aracaju, Sergipe / Metabolic syndrome among police officers in a police station from the city of Aracaju, Sergipe State, Brazil

Objetivos: Determinar a prevalência de síndrome metabólica e de seus componentes nos militares de uma unidade da polícia em Aracaju, Sergipe. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo transversal envolvendo os policiais militares de uma unidade de polícia localizada em Aracaju, capital do estado de Sergipe, no período de junho a julho de 2016. Foram selecionados para o estudo todos os policiais ativos na unidade que aceitaram participar da pesquisa, assinaram o termo de consentimento e não estavam em licença, afastamento, férias, ou processo de transferência para outra unidade. Para a coleta dos dados foi utilizado um questionário com informações sociodemográficas e uma ficha com dados antropométricos e de exames laboratoriais realizados pelos militares por ocasião do exame médico periódico de rotina. A síndrome metabólica foi definida a partir dos critérios do National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III. Uma análise univariada foi realizada para examinar associações entre as variáveis de interesse, utilizando-se o teste qui-quadrado de Pearson e adotando-se o valor de p<0,05 como estatisticamente significativo. Resultados: No período do estudo 115 policiais militares estavam lotados na unidade em estudo e 96 (83,5%) entre eles preencheram os critérios de inclusão no estudo. Destes, a maioria era do sexo masculino (96,6%), com filhos (84,4%), casados (52,2%), apresentavam nível de escolaridade até o ensino médio (35,4%), autorreferiram-se pardos (61,5%), ganhavam entre cinco e seis salários mínimos mensais (42,7%), tinham idade entre 36 e 45 anos (59,1%) e eram soldados (53,1%). Um total de sete (7,3%) entre os participantes do estudo apresentavam síndrome metabólica. Em relação aos componentes da síndrome metabólica, identificou-se circunferência abdominal aumentada indicando risco para doenças cardiovasculares em 34,4% dos participantes; sobrepeso em 57,3%; hipertensão arterial em 11,5%; triglicerídeos elevados em 29,5%; baixo colesterol ligado a lipoproteínas de alta densidade em 60,4%; e glicemia de jejum elevada em 31,3%. A graduação de cabo apresentou associação com síndrome metabólica: um militar com graduação de cabo tinha risco em torno de onze vezes mais de ter critérios para síndrome metabólica em relação às outras graduações (razão de prevalência=11,86; intervalo de confiança 95% 10,88-12,84; p=0,005). Conclusões: Os policiais da amostra investigada apresentaram uma prevalência de síndrome metabólica menor quando comparada a outros estudos brasileiros. A graduação de cabo apresentou maior risco de desenvolver síndrome metabólica, o que deve ser investigado com mais profundidade por meio de estudos que relacionem as características funcionais de cada patente com a presença dos componentes clínicos e laboratoriais da síndrome metabólica.

Aims: To assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components in the military officers of a police unit in Aracaju, Sergipe. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving a military police unit located in Aracaju, capital of Sergipe state, Brazil, was conducted in the period June-July 2016. All active military policemen in the unit who agreed to participate were selected for the study. To participate, they were asked to sign the consent form and should not be on leave, departure, vacation, or transfer process to another unit. For data collection a questionnaire with demographic information was used, and a form was filled with anthropometric data and results of laboratory tests carried out during the medical routine periodic review. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III. Univariate analysis was performed to examine associations between the variables of interest, using the Pearson's chi-square test and adopting the value of p<0.05 as statistically significant. Results: During the study period 115 military policemen were stationed in the unit under study and 96 (83.5%) among them met the criteria for inclusion in the study. Of these, the majority were male (96.6%) with children (84.4%), married (52.2%), had education level through high school (35.4%), self-reported brown (61.5%), earned between five and six minimum wage (42.7%), were aged between 36 and 45 years (59.1%), and were soldiers (53.1%). A total of seven (7.3%) among the study participants had metabolic syndrome. Regarding the components of metabolic syndrome, increased waist circumference indicating risk for cardiovascular disease was identified in 34.4% of the participants; overweight was identified in 57.3%; hypertension in 11.5%; high triglycerides in 29.5%; decreased level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in 60.4%; and high fasting blood glucose in 31.3%. The corporal rank was associated with metabolic syndrome: a military with corporal rank had a risk eleven times higher of having criteria for metabolic syndrome compared to other ranks (odds ratio 11.86; 95% confidence interval 10.88-12.84; p=0.005). Conclusions: The military policemen of the investigated sample had a lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome when compared to other Brazilian studies. The corporal rank had a higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome, which should be investigated in more depth by studies that look for the relationship between functional characteristics of each military rank and presence of clinical and laboratory components of metabolic syndrome.

Percepção de Competências Físicas está relacionada ao tempo de reação de policiais civis de unidades de operações especiais / Percepción de competencias físicas relacionada con el tiempo de reacción de policias civiles de unidades de operaciones especiales / Perception of Physical Competencies is related to the reaction time of civilian police of special operations units

Introdução: evidências sugerem que o tempo de reação (TR) é uma variável sensível na avaliação de desempenho e predisposição motivacional de policiais. Esse componente motivacional pode indicar a percepção da pessoa sobre sua capacidade de responder a demandas específicas. Possivelmente apresentando melhores respostas a situações em que a exigência envolve velocidade e escolha, como o TR. Objetivo: determinar a relação entre o desempenho no tempo de reação e a percepção de competências físicas em policiais civis de unidades de operações especiais. Métodos: participaram 22 policiais civis (34,5 ± 9,1 anos) do estado de Santa Catarina, integrantes da Coordenadoria de Operações Especiais (COPE). O TR foi medido pelo Software Vienna Test System. Para avaliar a percepção de competência foram utilizadas perguntas sobre os seguintes indicadores: força, flexibilidade e resistência aeróbia. O nível de atividade física foi avaliado através do Questionário de Avaliação da Atividade Física. Os dados foram tratados com estatística descritiva e inferencial. Resultados: a percepção de competências está relacionada ao TR (r= -0,69; p< 0,001). Quanto maior a percepção de competências menor o TR. As percepções de flexibilidade (r= -0,50; p< 0,01) e de resistência aeróbica (r= -0,55; p< 0,001) estiveram negativamente relacionadas com o TR. A prática de atividade física relacionou-se negativamente ao TR (r= -0,48; p< 0,05) e o tempo semanal exposto à atividades físicas gera maiores percepções de competência (r= 0,59; p< 0,01). Conclusão: conclui-se que a percepção de competências físicas está relacionada ao tempo de reação de policiais de unidades especiais. Melhores percepções de competência parece implicar na motivação do policial em realizar com comprometimento suas tarefas. Observa-se que estas percepções são componentes emocionais relacionados a um melhor processamento cognitivo, resultando assim em menor tempo de resposta(AU)

Introducción: hay evidencias de que el tiempo de reacción es una variable sensible en la evaluación del desempeño y la predisposición motivacional de policías. El componente motivacional puede indicar la percepción de la persona sobre su capacidad de responder a demandas específicas, presentando mejores respuestas a situaciones en que la exigencia incluye la velocidad de selección, tales como el tiempo de reacción (TR). Objetivo: determinar la relación entre el desempeño del tiempo de reacción y la percepción de competencias físicas en policías civiles de unidades de operaciones especiales. Métodos: participaron 22 policías civiles (34,5 ± 9,1 años) del estado de Santa Catarina, integrantes de la Coordinadora de Operaciones Especiales (COPE). El tiempo de reacción fue medido con el Software Vienna Test System. Para evaluar la percepción de competencias fueron utilizadas preguntas sobre los siguientes indicadores: fuerza, flexibilidad y resistencia aerobia. El nivel de actividad física fue evaluado a través del Cuestionario de Evaluación de la Actividad Física. Los datos fueron tratados con estadística descriptiva e inferencial. Resultados: la percepción de competencias está relacionada con el tiempo de reacción (r= -0,69; p< 0,001). A mayor percepción de competencias, menor el tiempo de reacción. Las percepciones de flexibilidad (r= -0,50; p< 0,01) y de resistencia aeróbica (r= -0,55; p< 0,001) estuvieron negativamente relacionadas con el tiempo de reacción. La práctica de actividad física se relacionó negativamente al tiempo de reacción (r= -0,48; p< 0,05) el tiempo semanal expuesto a actividades físicas genera mayores percepciones de competencia (r= 0,59; p< 0,01). Conclusión: la percepción de competencias físicas está relacionada con el tiempo de reacción de policías de unidades especiales. Mejores percepciones de competencia parece implicar la motivación del policía en realizar con compromiso sus tareas. Se observa que estas percepciones son componentes emocionales relacionados a un mejor procesamiento cognitivo, resultando en menor tiempo de respuesta(AU)

Introduction: evidences suggest that reaction time (RT) is a sensible variable in the performance and motivational predisposition assessment of police officers. Such motivational component may indicate the person's ability perception to respond to specific demands, and it may present better responses to situations which requires speed and choice reaction time. Objective: our study aimed to determine the relationship between reaction time performance and physical competence perception of police officers at special operation units. Methods: a total of 22 police officers from Santa Catarina State, all of them, members of Special Operation Coordination (COPE), average age 34.5 ± 9.1 years-old, were investigated. Reaction time was investigated by Vienna Test System Software. Strength, flexibility, and aerobic endurance questions were used to evaluate physical competence perception. Assessment Questionnaire of Physical Activity was carried out to evaluate Physical activity level. Data was analized by descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: results indicated that physical competence perception is related to RT (r= -0.69; p< 0.001). As higher was perception, lower was RT. Flexibility (r= -0.50; p< 0.01) and aerobic endurance (r= -0.55; p< 0.001) perceptions were negatively related to RT. Physical activity practice was negatively related to RT (r= -0.48; p< 0.05) and weekly time exposed to physical activity leads to a higher perception of competence (r= 0.59; p< 0.01). Conclusion: physical competence perception is related to RT of Police Officers at Special Operation Units. A higher competence perception seems to influence police motivation and their performance. Perceptions are an emotional component and is related to a better cognitive processing, resulting in better RT(AU)

Self-resilience as a protective factor against development of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in police officers

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to check whether self-resilience, one of the characteristics known to affect the occurrence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after experiencing traumatic events, could serve as a protective factor for police officers whose occupational factors are corrected. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study in which 112 male police officers in Gangwon Province participated. They visited the Wonju Severance Christian Hospital Occupational Environment Center for medical check-ups from June to December 2015. Their general characteristics were identified using structured questionnaires, and they were asked to fill in the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form (KOSS-SF). Further, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale-Korean (CD-RI-K), and Impact of Event Scale-Revised-Korean version (IES-R-K) were used to evaluate their job stress, depression, self-resilience, and PTSD symptoms. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to correct their personal, occupational, and psychological factors to analyze the relationship between self-resilience and PTSD symptoms. RESULTS: Among 112 respondents who experienced a traumatic event, those with low self-resilience had significantly higher rate of PTSD symptoms than those with high self-resilience even after correcting for the covariate of general, occupational, and psychological characteristics (odds ratio [OR] 3.51; 95 % CI: 1.06–19.23). CONCLUSIONS: Despite several limitations, these results suggest that a high degree of self-resilience may protect police officers from critical incident-related PTSD symptoms.

Prevalência de transtornos mentais e percepção de suporte familiar em policiais civis / Prevalence of mental disorders and perception of family support in the civil police / Prevalencia de trastornos mentales y percepción de soporte familiar en policías civiles

Este estudo transversal, exploratório-descritivo, verificou a prevalência de Transtorno Mental e Comportamental (TMC) e percepção do suporte familiar em Policiais Civis de Santa Catarina, afastados do trabalho pela Perícia Médica do Estado, no período entre 2009 e 2010. Utilizaram-se na coleta de dados: a) planilha de dados de prevalência de TMC da Secretaria de Estado da Administração/SC; b) inventário de percepção de suporte familiar; c) investigação das dimensões desse suporte e do processo de adoecimento relacionado ao trabalho, na perspectiva do policial e do familiar. Os dados de prevalência referem-se aos afastamentos por TMC (n = 148) no período mencionado e os de suporte familiar, aos policiais (n = 19) e familiares (n = 13) participantes da entrevista. Detectou-se que, para cada 100 policiais, 4,6 foram afastados por TMC. A percepção do suporte familiar por parte dos policiais indicou ser ele um recurso importante durante o período de afastamento do trabalho, na recuperação e no retorno à atividade, corroborando a existência de uma associação inversa entre nível de apoio social e sofrimento psíquico. Conclui-se que o incentivo à valorização do suporte familiar e o estímulo às relações interpessoais na família, no trabalho e nas relações sociais ampliadas, tornam-se ferramentas importantes para a percepção de bem-estar e se relacionam com o aumento da satisfação de vida, da autoestima e, por consequência, contribuem para o controle dos sintomas...

This cross-sectional, exploratory, and descriptive study examined the prevalence of mental and behavioral disorder (MBD) and perception of family support in the civil police of Santa Catarina, signed off work by State medical experts during 2009–2010. The following were used in data collection: a) a datasheet of MBD prevalence from the State Department of Administration/SC; b) an inventory of perceived family support; c) inquiry about the dimensions of this support and the process of work-related illness from the perspective of police officers and their families. The prevalence data provide absence because of MBD (n = 148) in the specified period and the family support provided to police officers (n = 19) and their families (n = 13) who participated in the interview. We found that, in every 100 police officers, 4.6 were absent because of MBD. The police officers' perception of family support indicated this to be an important resource during the period of absence from work, in recovery, and in returning to full activity, revealing an inverse association between the level of social support and psychological distress. It was concluded that the incentive value of family support and the encouragement of interpersonal relationships in the family, at work, and in extended social relations are important tools for the perception of well-being and are associated with an improved life satisfaction and self-esteem, contributing to symptom control...

Este estudio transversal, exploratorio-descriptivo, verificó la prevalencia de Trastorno Mental y del Comportamiento (TMC) y la percepción de soporte familiar en Policías Civiles de Santa Catarina, incapacitados por la Pericia Médica del Estado entre 2009 y 2010. Para la toma de datos fueron utilizados a) Banco de datos de prevalencia de TMC de la Secretaría de Estado de la Administración/SC; b) inventario de percepción de soporte familiar; c) investigación de las dimensiones de ese soporte y del proceso de enfermedad relacionado al trabajo, en la perspectiva del policía y del familiar. Los datos de prevalencia se refieren a las incapacidades por TMC (n=148) en el periodo mencionado y, los de soporte familiar a los policías (n=19) y familiares (n=13) que participaron en la entrevista. Se encontró que 4,6 de cada 100 policías fueron incapacitados por TMC. La percepción del soporte familiar por parte de los policías indicó que éste es un recurso importante durante el periodo de incapacidad laboral, en la recuperación y en el retorno al trabajo, corroborando la existencia de una asociación inversa entre el nivel de apoyo social y el sufrimiento psíquico. Se concluye que el incentivo a la valorización del soporte familiar y el estímulo a las relaciones interpersonales en la familia, en el trabajo y en las relaciones sociales ampliadas, se convierten en herramientas importantes para la percepción de bienestar y se relacionan con una mayor satisfacción de la vida, de la autoestima y, por consecuencia, contribuyen para el control de los síntomas...

Shift Work and Occupational Stress in Police Officers

BACKGROUND: Shift work has been associated with occupational stress in health providers and in those working in some industrial companies. The association is not well established in the law enforcement workforce. Our objective was to examine the association between shift work and police work-related stress. METHODS: The number of stressful events that occurred in the previous month and year was obtained using the Spielberger Police Stress Survey among 365 police officers aged 27-66 years. Work hours were derived from daily payroll records. A dominant shift (day, afternoon, or night) was defined for each participant as the shift with the largest percentage of total time a participant worked (starting time from 4:00 AM to 11:59 AM, from 12 PM to 7:59 PM, and from 8:00 PM to 3:59 AM for day, afternoon, and night shift, respectively) in the previous month or year. Analysis of variance and covariance were used to examine the number of total and subscale (administrative/professional pressure, physical/psychological danger, or organizational support) stressful events across the shift. RESULTS: During the previous month and year, officers working the afternoon and night shifts reported more stressful events than day shift officers for total stress, administrative/professional pressure, and physical/psychological danger (p < 0.05). These differences were independent of age, sex, race/ethnicity, and police rank. The frequency of these stressful events did not differ significantly between officers working the afternoon and night shifts. CONCLUSION: Non-day shift workers may be exposed to more stressful events in this cohort. Interventions to reduce or manage police stress that are tailored by shift may be considered.

Occupational exposure to air pollutants: particulate matter and respiratory symptoms affecting traffic-police in Bogotá / Exposición ocupacional a contaminantes atmosféricos: material particulado y síntomas respiratorios en policías de tránsito de Bogotá

Objectives Quantifying personal exposure to particles less than 10 micrometres in diameter (PM10) and determining the prevalence of respiratory symptoms in traffic-police officers working in Bogotá's metropolitan area. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 574 traffic-police officers divided into two groups (477 traffic-police and 97 police working in an office). They were given a questionnaire inquiring about respiratory symptoms, toxicological medical evaluation, lung function tests and personal PM10 monitoring. The differences between groups were found using stratified analysis (i.e. comparing odds ratios). Multivariate analysis of factors related to symptoms and diagnosis of respiratory alteration was also performed. Results Respiratory symptoms concerned a higher prevalence of cough, expectoration and rhinosinusitis in the traffic-police group. Medical examination revealed that the traffic-police group had higher nasal irritation prevalence; lung function tests showed no difference. Mean PM10 levels were higher for the traffic-police group (139.4 μg/m³), compared to the office work group (86.03 μg/m³). Discussion PM10 values in both groups did not exceed allowable limits for respirable particles in the workplace according to ACGIH standards. Traffic-police exposed to air pollution had an increased risk of developing respiratory symptoms and signs, thereby agreeing with the results of this and other studies. Personal monitoring is a valuable tool when quantifying the concentration of PM10to which an individual has been exposed during a normal workday. This study contributes towards further research in to the effects of PM10 in populations at risk.

Objetivos Cuantificar la exposición personal a partículas menores de 10 micras (PM10) y determinar la prevalencia de síntomas respiratorios en policías de tránsito que trabajan en el área metropolitana de Bogotá. Métodos Estudio transversal de 574 policías divididos en dos grupos (477 policías de tránsito y 97 policías de oficina). Se les aplicó cuestionario sobre síntomas respiratorios, evaluación médica toxicológica, pruebas de función pulmonar y monitoreo personal a PM10. Las diferencias entre los grupos se hallaron mediante análisis estratificado y calculo Odds Ratio. Se realizó análisis multivariado de factores relacionados con los síntomas y diagnósticos de alteración respiratoria. Resultados Síntomas respiratorios como tos, expectoración y rinosinusitis tuvieron mayor prevalencia en los policías de tránsito. El examen médico mostró mayor prevalencia de signos de irritación nasal en los policías de tránsito. Pruebas de función pulmonar no mostraron diferencias. Los niveles promedio de PM10 fueron mayores en el grupo de tránsito (139,4 g/m³) comparados con el de oficina (86,03 g/m³). Discusión Los valores de PM10 en ambos grupos no exceden los límites permisibles de partículas respirables en el lugar de trabajo por la ACGIH. Los policías de tránsito expuestos a la contaminación del aire tienen mayor riesgo de desarrollar síntomas y signos respiratorios, como lo muestran este y otros estudios. El monitoreo personal es una herramienta valiosa para cuantificar la concentración de PM10a la cual un individuo está expuesto durante la jornada laboral. Este estudio contribuye a una mayor investigación sobre los efectos de PM10 en las poblaciones en riesgo.

Risco e (in)segurança na missão policial / Risk and (in)security in the police mission

Este artigo introduz uma discussão sobre a história e o uso dos conceitos de risco e segurança, aplicados ao sentido da missão policial. O texto que se desenvolve de forma ensaística, mostra como ambos os termos se desenvolveram no âmbito da constituição das sociedades modernas e industriais. Os autores partem da hipótese de que a estrutura organizacional da polícia em várias partes do mundo continua com a mesma lógica com que foi criada ao longo dos séculos XVIII e XIX e que esse formato está em crise: seja porque o conceito de risco e sua gestão atual se tornaram muito mais abrangentes; seja porque o conceito de segurança também se aprofundou e ampliou, fugindo ao âmbito da instituição policial. A crise dos aparatos policiais é uma questão internacional e os autores a exemplificam com o caso da França. Retomando o pensamento de autores importantes na área sociológica, os autores colocam em pauta o debate sobre algumas questões que consideram urgentes: reformulação da amplitude dos conceitos de risco e de segurança para compreensão da missão policial; valorização do policial dentro e fora das corporações; revisão sobre o peso da rigidez hierárquica ou da inflexibilidade na sua carreira, numa sociedade plural e flexível.

This paper introduces a discussion on the history and use of the concepts of risk and security applied to the police officer's mission. The text is developed in an essay format that shows how both terms developed under the constitution of modern industrial societies. The authors begin with the assumption that the organizational structure of the police in various parts of the world retains the same logic since they were created during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and that this format is in crisis: whether it is because the concept of risk and current management thereof has now become much broader; or because the concept of security has also deepened and broadened, fleeing from the scope of the police institution. The crisis of the police apparatus is an international issue and the authors point to the case of the French police. Reverting to the thoughts of important authors in the sociological area, the authors resume the debate on some issues that they consider urgent: reformulation of the breadth of the concepts of risk and security to understand the police mission; enhancement of the police inside and outside corporations; review of the weight of the hierarchical rigidity or inflexibility on careers in a plural and flexible society.

Rotating Shift and Daytime Fixed Work Schedules as a Risk Factor for Depression in Korean Police Officers / 수면정신생리

OBJECTIVES: Working at other times than the regular day shift has been reported to be a stressor associated with health consequences and mental disorders as well as disturbance of sleep. In current study, we aimed at investigating the relationship between work schedule, sleep quality and depression among police officers. METHODS: Eleven hundreds and forty five police officers (male:1040, female:105) completed questionnaires of basic socio-demographic data, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Korean Scale of Occupational Stress (KOSS), Impact of Event Scale - Revised (IES-R) and Center for Epidemiologic Study-Depression (CES-D). RESULTS: After controlling for age, sex and educational level, score of CES-D was correlated positively with the score of KOSS, PSQI and IES-R on partial correlation analysis (r=-0.077;p=0.009, r=0.262;p<0.000 and r=0.421, p<0.000, respectively). Logistic regression analysis revealed that female sex, age, the score of KOSS and IES-R and schedule of rotating shift work predicted higher score than 16 score of CES-D significantly in total subjects (p=0.023, p=0.015, p=0.000, p=0.000 and p=0.022, respectively). CONCLUSION: Current result suggested that not only female sex, age, higher occupational stress and impact of event scale but also rotating shift work schedule might be related to depression among police officers.

Roles of telemedicine in health keeping of grassroots officers and soldiers / 医学研究生学报

Aiming at the characteristics of telemedicine service,we summarized our telemedical consultation work during 2006-2008.We believed that telemedical consultation from big hospitals are very important in maintaining physical and moral health conditions and treating severe sickness of grassroots officers and soldiers,it can also play active roles in the construction of basic army unit hospitals.

A Study on Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Psychosocial Factors in Prison Police Officers / 中国临床心理学杂志

Objective:To study the relationship between sleep quality and psychosocial factors in prison police officers.Methods:Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI),Eysenck Personality Questionnaire(EPQ),Life Event Scale(LES) and Coping Style Questionnaire(CSQ) were used to evaluate the sleep status and psychosocial factors of 2093 prison police officers of Guangdong Province Prison Administration Bureau.Results:Their average score of PSQI was 7.10?3.68.40.71% of them had sleep problems.The scores of PSQI were correlated positively with the scores of N,negative life events,self-blame and rationalization,and negatively with working out a solution.Conclusion:The sleep quality problem of the prison police officers is serious.Their sleep disorder is obviously related to their mood stability,enduring negativity life events and coping style.

Sleep Quality and Mood of Prison Police Officers / 中国心理卫生杂志

Objective: To study the state of prison police officers'sleep quality and anxiety, depression and their relationship. Methods: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) , Self Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self Rating Depression Scale (SDS) were evaluated the sleep, anxiety and depression status of 2093 prison police officers of Guangdong Province Prison Administration Bureau. Results: The average score of PSQI was 7. 10 ?3.68, 40.71% had sleep problem. The average score of SAS was 41. 64 ?7. 66, 11. 94% officers had anxiety problem. The average score of SDS was 45. 11?8. 01, and 26. 99% had depression problem. The score of PSQI among policemen was higher than that of policewomen officers. The anxiety problem and the SAS? SDS score of the age over 35 years old persons was higher than that of the age below 35 (7. 2 ?3.6/6.7 ?3.9, t =2. 1, P