Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

A Survey of Quality of Life and Depression for Police Officers in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

  • Published:
Quality of Life Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective: The enormous job stress of police work may result in depression, which is highly correlated with work disability and poor quality of life. We investigated the quality of life, the probability of depression, and the related risk factors for police officers in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Methods: We used the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) and the Disaster-Related Psychological Screening Test (DRPST) to assess the quality of life and prevalence of depression for 832 police officers in Kaohsiung. Results: The estimated rate of probable major depression was 21.6% (180/832). Those with an educational level of university or above and nondepressed police officers had higher scores in every subscale for quality of life. Police officers older than 50 had higher scores in the mental aspects of quality of life. Family problems and job stress related to achievement, peer pressure about performance, and heavy workloads were predictive factors for depression. Conclusion: Police officers might have a higher estimated rate of depression than previously thought, and those with depression have a poorer quality of life.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. RR Gershon S Lin X Li (2002) ArticleTitleWork stress in aging police officers J Occup Environ Med 44 160–167 Occurrence Handle11851217 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00043764-200202000-00011

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. JM Violanti (1992) ArticleTitleCoping strategies among police recruits in a high-stress training environment J Soc Psychol 132 IssueID6 717–729 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK3s7ovVCntw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle1293412 Occurrence Handle10.1080/00224545.1992.9712102

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. PA Collins AC Gibbs (2003) ArticleTitleStress in police officers: a study of the origins, prevalence and severity of stress-related symptoms within a county police force Occup Med 53 256–264 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3s3ovVWqsw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.1093/occmed/kqg061

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. DW Newman ML Rucker-Reed (2004) ArticleTitlePolice stress, state-trait anxiety, and stressors among US Marshals J Criminal Justice 32 631–641 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2004.08.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. AA Mello MF Mello LL Carpenter LH Price (2003) ArticleTitleUpdate on stress and depression: the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria 25 IssueID4 231–238 Occurrence Handle15328550 Occurrence Handle10.1590/S1516-44462003000400010

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. CM Pariante (2003) ArticleTitleDepression, stress and the adrenal axis J Neuroendocrinol 15 IssueID8 811–812 Occurrence Handle12834443 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2826.2003.01058.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. JL Wang SB Patten (2001) ArticleTitlePerceived work stress and major depression in the Canadian employed population, 20–49 years old J Occup Health Psychol 6 IssueID4 283–289 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3MrlvFaktQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle11605823 Occurrence Handle10.1037/1076-8998.6.4.283

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. GE Simon C Barber HG Birnbaum et al. (2001) ArticleTitleDepression and work productivity: the comparative costs of treatment versus nontreatment J Occup Environ Med 43 IssueID1 2–9 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3M7kslGmug%3D%3D Occurrence Handle11201765 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00043764-200101000-00002

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. S Pattani N Constantinovici S Williams (2004) ArticleTitlePredictors of re-employment and quality of life in NHS staff one year after early retirement because of ill health; a national prospective study Occup Environ Med 61 572–576 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD2czgs1elsA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle15208372 Occurrence Handle10.1136/oem.2003.011817

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. AV Ravindran K Matheson J Griffiths Z Merali H Anisman (2002) ArticleTitleStress, coping, and quality of life in subtypes of depression: a conceptual frame and emerging data J Affect Disord 71 121–130 Occurrence Handle12167508 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0165-0327(01)00389-5

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. FH Chou TT Su WC Ou-Yang IC Chien MK Lu P Chou (2003) ArticleTitleEstablishment of a disaster-related psychological screening test Aust N Z J Psychiatry 37 IssueID1 97–103 Occurrence Handle12534664 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1440-1614.2003.01087.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. JE Brazier J Roberts (2004) ArticleTitleThe estimation of a preference-based measure of health from the SF-12 Med Care 42 IssueID9 851–859 Occurrence Handle15319610 Occurrence Handle10.1097/01.mlr.0000135827.18610.0d

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. RW Bohannon R Maljanian N Lee M Ahlquist (2004) ArticleTitleMeasurement properties of the short form (SF)-12 applied to patients with stroke Int J Rehabil Res 27 IssueID2 151–154 Occurrence Handle15167114 Occurrence Handle10.1097/01.mrr.0000127349.25287.de

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. JN Burdine MR Felix AL Abel CJ Wiltraut YJ Musselman (2000) ArticleTitleThe SF-12 as a population health measure: an exploratory examination of potential for application Health Serv Res 35 IssueID4 885–904 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3crgsVOksQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle11055454

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. LA Lenert CD Sherbourne C Sugar KB Wells (2000) ArticleTitleEstimation of utilities for the effects of depression from the SF-12 Med Care 38 IssueID7 763–770 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3czovVaksQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10901359 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00005650-200007000-00008

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. JE Ware M Kosinski SD Keller (1996) ArticleTitleA 12-item short-form health survey: construction of scales and preliminary tests of reliability and validity Med Care 34 220–233 Occurrence Handle8628042 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00005650-199603000-00003

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. C Jenkinson R Layte D Jenkinson et al. (1997) ArticleTitleA shorter form health survey: can the SF-12 replicate results from the SF-36 in longitudinal studies? J Public Health Med 19 IssueID2 179–186 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2szoslCjsg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9243433 Occurrence Handle10.1093/oxfordjournals.pubmed.a024606

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. HG Hwu EK Yeh LY Chang (1989) ArticleTitlePrevalence of psychiatric disorders in Taiwan defined by the Chinese Diagnostic Interview Schedule Acta Psychiatr Scand 79 136–147 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaL1M7mtlyisA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle2923007 Occurrence Handle10.1111/j.1600-0447.1989.tb08581.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. FH Chou TT Su P Chou WC Ou-Yang MK Lu IC Chien (2005) ArticleTitleSurvey of psychiatric disorders after an earthquake: MINI diagnosis for a village population in Taiwan J Formosa Med Assoc 104 IssueID5 308–317

    Google Scholar 

  20. RD Goldney LJ Fisher ED Grande AW Taylor (2004) ArticleTitleSubsyndromal depression: prevalence, use of health service and quality of life in an Australian population Soc Psychiatry Psychiatric Epidemiol 39 293–298 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00127-004-0745-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. PG Surtees NW Wainwright KT Khaw NE Day (2003) ArticleTitleFunctional health status, chronic medical conditions and disorders of mood Br J Psychiatry 183 299–303 Occurrence Handle14519607 Occurrence Handle10.1192/bjp.183.4.299

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. AR Cass RJ Volk DE Nease (1999) ArticleTitleHealth related quality of life in primary care patients with recognized and unrecognized mood and anxiety disorders Int J Psychiatry Med 29 IssueID3 293–309 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3c7gslGitA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10642904 Occurrence Handle10.2190/CPYJ-2HBF-RGCN-64V2

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. H Achat I Kawachi A Spiro SuffixIII DA DeMolles D Sparrow (2000) ArticleTitleOptimism and depression as predictors of physical and mental health functioning: the Normative Aging Study Ann Behav Med 22 IssueID2 127–130 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3M%2FlsFGitQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10962705 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF02895776

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. JL Fuh SJ Wang SR Lu KD Juang SJ Lee (2000) ArticleTitlePsychosometric evaluation of a Chinese (Taiwanese) version of SF-36 health survey amongst middle-aged women from a rural community Qual Life Res 9 675–683 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3M3jtl2rtg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle11236857 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1008993821633

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. BW Penninx DJ Deeg JT Eijk Particlevan AT Beekman JM Guralnik (2000) ArticleTitleChanges in depression and physical decline in older adults: a longitudinal perspective J Affect Disord 61 IssueID1–2 1–12 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3M7gt1ygsA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle11099735 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0165-0327(00)00152-X

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. JM Mossey RM Gallagher F Tirumalasetti (2000) ArticleTitleThe effects of pain and depression on physical functioning in elderly residents of a continuing care retirement community Pain Med 1 IssueID4 340–350 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD2c3gsFKktw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle15101880 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1526-4637.2000.00040.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. CM Callahan K Kroenke SR Counsell et al. (2005) ArticleTitleIMPACT Investigators. Treatment of depression improves physical functioning in older adults J Am Geriatr Soc 53 IssueID3 367–373 Occurrence Handle15743276 Occurrence Handle10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53151.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. LA Lenert CD Sherbourne C Sugar KB Wells (2000) ArticleTitleEstimation of utilities for the effects of depression from the SF-12 Med Care 38 763–770 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3czovVaksQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10901359 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00005650-200007000-00008

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Ware JE, Kosinski M, Turner-Bowker DM, Gandek B. How to score version 2 of the SF-12 health survey (with a supplement documenting version 1). Lincoln RI: Quality Metric Incorporated 2002; 82.

  30. FH Chou P Chou TT Su et al. (2004) ArticleTitleQuality of life and related risk factors in a Taiwanese village population 21 months after an earthquake Aust N Z J Psychiatry 38 358–364 Occurrence Handle15144515 Occurrence Handle10.1080/j.1440-1614.2004.01364.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. JM Violanti F Aron (1992) ArticleTitleSources of police stressors, job attitudes, and psychological distress Psychol Rep 72 IssueID3 899–904 Occurrence Handle10.2466/pr0.1993.72.3.899

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. J Mearns TG Mauch (1998) ArticleTitleNegative mood regulation expectancies predict anger among police officers and buffer the effects of job stress J Nerv Ment Dis 186 120–125 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1c7ksFejtA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9484312 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00005053-199802000-00008

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Frank Huang-Chih Chou.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chen, HC., Chou, F.HC., Chen, MC. et al. A Survey of Quality of Life and Depression for Police Officers in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Qual Life Res 15, 925–932 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-005-4829-9

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-005-4829-9

Keywords

Navigation