Article Text
Abstract
Objective : In Korea one police officer responsible for 426 people in 2015, despite of personnel reinforcements of police officers, the burden is still in high level. Nevertheless, this heavy workload and its vocational factors affecting the mental health of police officers has been overlooked. This study analyses the personal factors which can affect occurrence of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a traumatic event and experience in police officers and performed to see whether those factors can be a preventive role for PTSD occurs.
Methods Data from the 2015.6.4–2015.10.20, police officers in Kang-Won, who visited department of Occupation and Environmental Medicine, Wonju Christian Hospital for health check-ups and 220 police officers were assessed. Conducted through the IES-R to see if PTSD occurs, to measure the personal factors, expected to affect onset of PTSD, 4-factor analysis for Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were used, measuring the individual depression emotions, positive thinking, behaviour and physical slowing, interpersonal relationship. To analyse the results, chi-square and Logistic-regression were used.
Results CES-D Factor 2 scores (not positive tendencies) were significantly more likely to associate occurrence of mild PTSD (Exp = 1.314 95% CI: 1.117 ∼ 1.546 ), Factor 3 scores (Physical and behavioural slowdown) were less likely (Exp = 0.783, 95% CI: 0.619 ∼ 0.992).
Conclusions Despite several limitations these results suggest that positive tendencies and active life style may protect police officers from critical incident related PTSD.