Psychosocial risks and their consequences on health and job satisfaction among Spanish police officers.

BACKGROUND: Police officers are exposed to risk and violence, which makes their work highly stressful. According to the Job Demand-Resource model, the working conditions of police officers may affect their health and job satisfaction. The aims of this research were to evaluate the psychosocial factors at work in a sample of municipal police officers from the Valencian Community (Spain) to identify the prevalence of psychosocial risks and their consequences and analyse the influence of psychosocial factors (resource and demands) at work on job satisfaction and health. METHODS: The Unidad de Investigación Psicosocial de la Conducta Organizacional (UNIPSICO) battery was used to evaluate the prevalence and distribution of different levels of risk and their consequences in police officers (n=103). The influence of psychosocial factors (resource and demands) at work on psychosomatic disorders and job satisfaction was examined using stepwise regression analysis. RESULTS: All considered variables showed moderate levels of psychosocial risk for the whole sample. As for the consequences of psychosocial risks, moderate levels of psychosomatic disorders and job satisfaction were also observed. Perceived stress levels and organizational stressors have a negative effect on health and job satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: To create positive conditions for the health and well-being of police officers, real commitment is required when evaluating psychosocial risks in local police organizations and the establishment of prevention and intervention measures where psychosocial risk factors are detected.

Psychosocial risks and their consequences on health and job satisfaction among Spanish police officers / Riesgos psicosociales y sus consecuencias sobre la salud y la satisfacción laboral en policías españoles

Fundamento. La vida laboral del policía es estresante dada la exposición al riesgo y a la violencia en el trabajo. Según el Modelo de Demandas y Recursos laborales (DRL), las condiciones de trabajo de los policías pueden influir en la salud y la satisfacción laboral. Los objetivos de esta investigación fueron evaluar los factores psicosociales en el trabajo en una muestra de policías municipales de la Comunidad Valenciana (España), identificar la prevalencia de riesgos psicosociales y sus consecuencias, y analizar la influencia de los factores psicosociales (recursos y demandas) en el trabajo sobre la satisfacción laboral y la salud. Material y método. Se utilizó la Batería UNIPSICO para evaluar la prevalencia y la distribución de policías (n=103) en los diferentes niveles de riesgo y consecuencias. La influencia de los factores psicosociales (recursos y demandas) en el trabajo sobre los trastornos psicosomáticos y la satisfacción laboral se examinó mediante un análisis de regresión por pasos. Resultados. Se obtuvieron valores moderados de riesgo psicosocial en todas las variables para toda la muestra. Para las consecuencias de los riesgos psicosociales también se obtuvieron niveles moderados de trastornos psicosomáticos y satisfacción laboral. Los niveles de estrés percibidos y los estresores organizacionales tienen un efecto negativo sobre la salud y la satisfacción laboral. Conclusión. Para facilitar condiciones positivas para la salud y el bienestar de los policías, se requiere un compromiso real para la evaluación de riesgos psicosociales en las organizaciones policiales locales y para la adopción de medidas de prevención e intervención, donde se detecten factores de riesgo psicosocial. (AU)

Background. Police officers are exposed to risk and violence, which makes their work highly stressful. According to the Job Demand-Resource model, the working conditions of police officers may affect their health and job satisfaction. The aims of this research were to evaluate the psychosocial factors at work in a sample of municipal police officers from the Valencian Community (Spain) to identify the prevalence of psychosocial risks and their consequences and analyse the influence of psychosocial factors (resource and demands) at work on job satisfaction and health. Methods. The Unidad de Investigación Psicosocial de la Conducta Organizacional (UNIPSICO) battery was used to evaluate the prevalence and distribution of different levels of risk and their consequences in police officers (n=103). The influence of psychosocial factors (resource and demands) at work on psychosomatic disorders and job satisfaction was examined using stepwise regression analysis. Results. All considered variables showed moderate levels of psychosocial risk for the whole sample. As for the consequences of psychosocial risks, moderate levels of psychosomatic disorders and job satisfaction were also observed. Perceived stress levels and organizational stressors have a negative effect on health and job satisfaction. Conclusions. To create positive conditions for the health and well-being of police officers, real commitment is required when evaluating psychosocial risks in local police organizations and the establishment of prevention and intervention measures where psychosocial risk factors are detected. (AU)