Resumen

Background: Work should have to generate emancipation and social inclusion, however, in some situations, it may produce sickness. The police work seems to be of risk for this type of condition. The daily contact with adverse and violent situations makes this population vulnerable to physical and psychic suffering. Objectives: To evaluate the mental health and quality of life of civil police officers from Porto Alegre metropolitan region, in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Methods: Transversal and observational study that evaluated 90 police officers in three different groups: Group 1–30 that were recently approved in a public test to become a civil police officer; Group 2–30 who finished the three-year probation; and Group 3–30 with more than ten years of experience. All police officers answered the Quality of Life Questionnaire of the World Health Organization (WHOQOL-BREF) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), which assesses mental health. Results: The group of police officers that showed greater losses in their quality of life and mental health was the one with more than ten years of experience (p < 0.001), which also presented a higher frequency of chronic diseases, regular use of medications, and less leisure activities. Significant correlation was found between deterioration in quality of life of the participants and a greater number of mental health problems. Conclusions: The study suggests that the police officers’ work compromises negatively the subjects’ mental health and quality of life. The exposition time factor may be related to this problem.

Palabras clave: Police mental health quality of life.

2013-03-11   |   3,770 visitas   |   Evalua este artículo 0 valoraciones

Vol. 10 Núm.2. Julio-Diciembre 2012 Pags. 64-71 Revista Bras. Med. Trab. 2012; 10(2)