Perception of Health, Resilience, and Engagement in Spanish Police Officers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the police force was one of the institutions that was most exposed to possible infections, in addition to suffering stressful situations that affect health. This study aims to independently assess the relationship between demographic, work, and COVID-19 variables, and resilience, engagement, and the perception of health, as well as to evaluate which variables are more important when predicting health perceptions. METHOD: 640 Spanish police officers were evaluated through a cross-sectional design and online survey. RESULTS: The perception of the lack of personal protective equipment, believing that it is easy to become infected with COVID-19, or working as a police officer were associated with low levels of engagement and resilience and a worse perception of health. More years of experience in the police force was associated with worse health and lower levels of engagement and resilience. Engagement and resilience would be protective variables of health. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to promote practices related to engagement and resilience in the police force. The discussion emphasizes that more experienced police officers demonstrate less engagement and resilience.

Perception of Health, Resilience, and Engagement in Spanish Police Officers During the COVID-19 Pandemic / Salud Percibida, Resiliencia y Compromiso en Policías Españoles Durante la Pandemia por COVID-19

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the police force was one of the institutions that was most exposed to possible infections, in addition to suffering stressful situations that affect health. This study aims to independently assess the relationship between demographic, work, and COVID-19 variables, and resilience, engagement, and the perception of health, as well as to evaluate which variables are more important when predicting health perceptions. Method: 640 Spanish police officers were evaluated through a cross-sectional design and online survey. Results: The perception of the lack of personal protective equipment, believing that it is easy to become infected with COVID-19, or working as a police officer were associated with low levels of engagement and resilience and a worse perception of health. More years of experience in the police force was associated with worse health and lower levels of engagement and resilience. Engagement and resilience would be protective variables of health. Conclusions: It is necessary to promote practices related to engagement and resilience in the police force. The discussion emphasizes that more experienced police officers demonstrate less engagement and resilience. (AU)

Antecedentes: durante la pandemia por COVID-19, el colectivo policial ha sido uno de los más expuestos a posibles contagios, además de sufrir situaciones estresantes que afectan a la salud. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo evaluar independientemente la relación entre las variables demográficas, del trabajo y COVID-19, y la resiliencia, el engagement y la percepción sobre la salud, así como evaluar qué variables tienen más peso a la hora de predecir la percepción sobre la salud. Método: se evaluó a 640 policías españoles mediante un diseño transversal y encuesta online. Resultados: la falta de equipos de protección individual, creer que es fácil infectarse por COVID-19 o trabajar como agente se asocian a niveles bajos de engagement y resiliencia y peor percepción de la salud. El aumento en los años de experiencia en el cuerpo policial se asocia a peor salud y a bajos niveles de engagement y resiliencia. El engagement y la resiliencia serían variables protectoras de la salud. Conclusiones: es necesario fomentar prácticas relacionadas con el engagement y la resiliencia en el colectivo policial. Se destaca que los policías con más experiencia muestran menos engagement y resiliencia. (AU)

Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Levels of Resilience and Burnout in Spanish Health Personnel during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The number of health workers infected with COVID-19 in Spain is one of the highest in the world. The aim of this study is to analyse posttraumatic stress, anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Associations between burnout, resilience, demographic, work and COVID-19 variables are analysed. Cross-sectional data on 1422 health workers were analysed. A total of 56.6% of health workers present symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, 58.6% anxiety disorder, 46% depressive disorder and 41.1% feel emotionally drained. The profile of a health worker with greater posttraumatic stress symptoms would be a person who works in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, in a hospital, is a woman, is concerned that a person he/she lives with may be infected, and thinks that he/she is very likely to be infected. The risk variables for anxiety and depression would be a person that is a woman, working 12- or 24-h shifts, and being worried that a family member could be infected. High scores on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization are risk factors for mental health, with resilience and personal fulfilment being protective variables. Data are provided to improve preventive measures for occupational health workers.

Psychosocial Risk Factors, Burnout and Hardy Personality as Variables Associated With Mental Health in Police Officers.

Among the variables associated with occupational stress, two of the most studied are the adverse perceptions of psychosocial risk factors in the workplace and burnout. With the rise of positive psychology, other variables of the individual type, such as hardy personality have also been the subject of study. No studies have been found that jointly examine these variables related to mental health in police officers. The aim of this research was to analyze which variables were associated with mental health in police officers. A total of 223 policemen (202 men and 21 women) participated in a cross-sectional study. Of all the variables, emotional exhaustion and perception of problems as challenges were the only factors introduced in the regression model. These factors must be considered to improve both human resource interventions and occupational health practices in this professional group.

Stress in Spanish police force depending on occupational rank, sex, age and work-shift / Estrés en policías españoles según rango ocupacional, sexo, edad y turno de trabajo

BACKGROUND: In the police force, some variables such as occupational rank, sex, age and work-shift are associated with stress in workers. The aim of this paper was to determine possible differences in the perception of occupational stress at work depending on rank, sex, age and work-shift of police agents in the Community of Madrid, Spain. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 24 municipalities of the Community of Madrid. A total number of 565 police agents participated. The ranks of the police agents were: constable, corporal, sergeant and police chief. Occupational stress (psychosocial risk factors at work) was assessed with the DECORE Questionnaire. RESULTS: All police agents perceived psychosocial risk factors adversely; especially agents of lesser rank perceived less control, fewer rewards and scarce support. There were significant differences in the perception of insufficient rewards between constables and other categories; and between constables and corporals in the perception of insufficient organisational support. No significant differences were found in the perception of psychosocial risk factors in relation to the rest of variables. CONCLUSIONS: The police rank should be taken into account for the development of preventive measures to reduce stress

ANTECEDENTES: en la policía, algunas variables como el rango ocupacional, el sexo, la edad y el tipo de turno se relacionan con estrés en trabajadores. El objetivo de este estudio fue conocer si existían diferencias en la percepción de estrés laboral en policías de la Comunidad de Madrid (España), según el rango ocupacional, el sexo, la edad y el tipo de turno. MÉTODO: se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal en 24 municipios de la Comunidad de Madrid. Participaron 565 policías. Los rangos evaluados fueron: agente, cabo, sargento y jefe de policía. El estrés laboral (riesgos psicosociales del trabajo) fue evaluado con el cuestionario DECORE. RESULTADOS: todos los policías evaluados percibieron los factores de riesgo psicosocial de forma adversa. Específicamente, los que ocupaban rangos inferiores percibieron menos control, escasas recompensas y escaso apoyo. Se encontraron diferencias significativas en la percepción de escasas recompensas entre agentes y el resto de rangos; y entre agentes y cabos en la percepción de escaso apoyo organizacional. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en la percepción de los factores de riesgo psicosocial en el resto de variables. CONCLUSIONES: el rango policial debería tenerse en cuenta en el desarrollo de medidas preventivas para reducir el estrés

Stress in Spanish police force depending on occupational rank, sex, age and work-shift.

BACKGROUND: In the police force, some variables such as occupational rank, sex, age and work-shift are associated with stress in workers. The aim of this paper was to determine possible differences in the perception of occupational stress at work depending on rank, sex, age and work-shift of police agents in the Community of Madrid, Spain. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 24 municipalities of the Community of Madrid. A total number of 565 police agents participated. The ranks of the police agents were: constable, corporal, sergeant and police chief. Occupational stress (psychosocial risk factors at work) was assessed with the DECORE Questionnaire. RESULTS: All police agents perceived psychosocial risk factors adversely; especially agents of lesser rank perceived less control, fewer rewards and scarce support. There were significant differences in the perception of insufficient rewards between constables and other categories; and between constables and corporals in the perception of insufficient organisational support. No significant differences were found in the perception of psychosocial risk factors in relation to the rest of variables. CONCLUSIONS: The police rank should be taken into account for the development of preventive measures to reduce stress.