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The Chronic Health Effects of Work-Related Stressors Experienced by Police Communications Workers
- Source :
- Safety and Health at Work, Vol 12, Iss 3, Pp 365-369 (2021), Safety and Health at Work
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- Elsevier, 2021.
-
Abstract
- Background Law enforcement communications (i.e., 911 dispatch and call takers) is a challenging and stressful occupation. The purpose of this study is to identify the main stressors associated with employment in law enforcement communications, and to identify and provide context to how these stressors affect workers' health and wellbeing. Methods This research study included focus groups with 23 call takers and 911 dispatchers employed by a large, urban law enforcement agency in 2018. Thematic analyses were conducted to identify trends. Results Four themes of stressors emerged (i.e., the high stakes nature of some 911 calls for service, understaffing, supervisor-related stress, and recruiting practice). Two health-related themes emerged as being occupation-related: weight gain and poor sleep patterns/insufficient sleep). Specifically, participants reported negative eating habits resulting in weight gain and obesity, lack of sleep and irregular sleep schedules, and development of hypertension and/or diabetes since beginning their jobs. Conclusion Law enforcement communications professionals experience a number of the same stressors facing law enforcement officers in patrol. These stressors, combined with the sedentary nature of the job, could result in long-term, chronic health problems.
- Subjects :
- media_common.quotation_subject
Applied psychology
Context (language use)
Affect (psychology)
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Agency (sociology)
medicine
030212 general & internal medicine
Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality
media_common
Chemical Health and Safety
Stressor
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Law enforcement
Emergency communications
medicine.disease
030210 environmental & occupational health
Focus group
Obesity
Police
Health
Service (economics)
Original Article
Public aspects of medicine
RA1-1270
Psychology
Qualitative
Safety Research
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20937911
- Volume :
- 12
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Safety and Health at Work
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....1762e38d5a0ff184c2ee37f0cf2a3134