Work Stress and Metabolic Syndrome in Police Officers. A Prospective Study (original) (raw)
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Associations between police officer stress and the metabolic syndrome
International journal of emergency mental health, 2011
The purpose of this study was to examine the association of police officer stress with metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) and its individual components. Participants included 288 men and 102 women from the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) Study. Police stress was measured using the Spielberger police stress survey. MetSyn was defined using 2005 guidelines. Results were stratified by gender ANCOVA was used to describe differences in number of MetSyn components across police stress categories after adjusting for age and smoking status. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios for having each MetSyn component by increased police stress levels. The multivariate-adjusted number of MetSyn components increased significantly in women across tertiles of the three perceived stress subscales, and administrative and organizational pressure and lack of support indices for the previous month. No association was found among male officers. Abdominal obesity and redu...
PLOS ONE, 2020
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a worldwide health concern related to cardiovascular disease. Stress at work increases the risk for MetS, whereas physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness (CF) have been shown to be potential buffers against stress. The aim of this study was to test the stress-buffering effects of physical activity and CF on the relationship between work stress and MetS. In a prospective study, we followed 97 police officers (mean age = 39.7 years; mean body mass index = 25.74 kg/m 2) over one year and assessed MetS, as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. Stress at work was measured with the Job Content Questionnaire, as well as the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire. Physical activity was assessed objectively via 7-day accelerometry. CF was assessed with the Åstrand bicycle ergometer test. Hierarchical linear regression models were carried out to predict MetS at follow-up (mean overall MetS score = 1.22), after controlling for baseline levels and sociodemographic background (mean overall MetS score = 1.19). Higher CF levels were significantly associated with lower MetS risk at follow-up (β =-.38). By contrast, no main effects were found for physical activity and work stress. However, high effort and demand were significantly correlated with increased blood pressure (effort: r = .23 for systolic blood pressure; r = .21 for diastolic blood pressure) and waist circumference (effort: r = .26; demand: r = .23). Moreover, no significant interaction effects occurred between work stress and CF/physical activity. The results emphasize the importance of high levels of CF in the prevention of MetS in police officers. Accordingly, provision of regular training opportunities and repeated CF testing should be considered as a strategy in overall corporate health promotion.
AAOHN Journal, 2011
This study explored risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among 336 officers of a Midwestern police force. Instruments used included the Perceived Stress Scale, the Maastr icht Questionnaire (measuring vital exhaustion), and a general Health Risk Appraisal. Rates of CVD, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia were 3%, 28%, and 43%, respectively. The relative risk of hypercholesterolemia for male officers , compared to female officers , was 1.98 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10 to 3.56). The officers' average body mass index was 28.6 (SO = 4.9), with 80% being overweight or obese. The average vital exhaustion score was higher for female officers than male officers (p < .05). Bivariate relationships of CVD with perceived stress, vital exhaustion, and age were statistically significant (p < .05). When controlling for age, odds ratios were 1.20 (95% CI, 1.03 to 1.39; P < .05) for perceived stress and 1.31 (95% CI, 1.12 to 1.53; P < .01) for vital exhaustion. P olice officers experience increased risk of morbidity from cardiovascular disease (CVD), a phenomenon that has been studied for three decades. Compared to their civilian peers in the general population, police officers are up to 1.7 times more likely to develop CVD (Franke, Collins, & Hinz, 1998; Ramey, Downing, & Franke, 2(09), with an average of 38% of police officers having hypertension and 33% having hypercholesterol-ABOUTTHE AUTHORS
Chronic stress at work and the metabolic syndrome: prospective study
2006
Objectives To investigate the association between stress at work and the metabolic syndrome. Design Prospective cohort study investigating the association between work stress and the metabolic syndrome. Participants 10 308 men and women, aged 35-55, employed in 20 London civil service departments at baseline (the Whitehall II study); follow-up was an average of 14 years. Main outcome measures Work stress based on the iso-strain model, measured on four occasions (1985-99). Biological measures of the metabolic syndrome, based on the National Cholesterol Education Program definition, measured in 1997-9. Results A dose-response relation was found between exposure to work stressors over 14 years and risk of the metabolic syndrome, independent of other relevant risk factors. Employees with chronic work stress (three or more exposures) were more than twice as likely to have the syndrome than those without work stress (odds ratio adjusted for age and employment grade 2.25, 95% confidence interval 1.31 to 3.85). Conclusions Stress at work is an important risk factor for the metabolic syndrome. The study provides evidence for the biological plausibility of the link between psychosocial stressors from everyday life and heart disease.
Is job-related stress the link between cardiovascular disease and the law enforcement profession?
2010
To determine whether job-related stress is associated with alterations in pro-and anti-atherogenic inflammatory mediators among law enforcement officers. Methods: Markers of vascular inflammation and the self-reported stress measures of perceived stress, vital exhaustion, job strain, effort-reward imbalance, and social support were compared between officers (N ϭ 444) and non-officers (N ϭ 166). Results: Officers had higher levels of IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-␣ and lower levels of C-reactive protein and fibrinogen. No more than 4% of the variability in any of the inflammatory mediators was explained by any stress measure for either the two groups or the entire sample. Conclusions: Law enforcement officers may be at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease due to a relatively greater pro-inflammatory vascular environment. However, this increased risk cannot be attributed to either chronic stress or the work-related stress measures assessed here.
Annals of Epidemiology, 2006
PURPOSE: The Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) study is one of the first population-based studies to integrate psychological, physiological, and subclinical measures of stress, disease, and mental dysfunction. This pilot study was undertaken to establish a methodology and descriptive results for a larger police study. METHODS: A stratified sample of 100 officers was randomly selected from the Buffalo, NY Police Department. Salivary cortisol served as a stress biomarker. Flow mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were performed with ultrasound. Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) and anthropometric measures assessed body composition. Self-report measures of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were obtained. RESULTS: Recruitment attained for the study was 100%. Seventy-five percent showed a cortisol increase upon awakening, 90% a negative diurnal slope, and 77% an increased cortisol response after a high protein lunch challenge. Dexamethasone suppression was evident. FMD showed an increase in mean brachial artery diameter of 3.2% in men and 3.9% in women, and mean IMT was lower (male Z 0.67 mm; female Z 0.62 mm) compared to populations of similar age. For males, the mean body-mass index (BMI) was 29.8 kg/ m 2 and total body fat 23.4%. For females, the mean BMI was 26.7 kg/m 2 and total body fat 31.5%. For all officers, 16% met criteria for depression; 36% reported elevated PTSD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to populations of similar age, police officers had slightly lower FMD, lower carotid IMT, elevated BMI, and higher reported rates of depression and PTSD. Standardized physiological and psychological data collection and descriptive results confirmed that the methodology of the study is feasible in a working police population.
Facta Universitatis, 2019
The aim of this work is to analyze the relationship between the level of professional stress and the concentration of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the serum of security employees.. The study included 415 security officers (exposed group) divided into four subgroups and 150 administrative workers (control group). By applying a standardized questionnaire, the level of professional stress in their workplaces was calculated. To determine the serum lipid concentration in the all subjects, venous blood samples were taken in the morning after a twelve-hour food abstinence Security officers are exposed to a high level of professional stress, where the level of stress index depends on the type of the job they are engaged in. The highest values of the total index of professional stress, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides were registered with the employees who transport money and those carrying firearms. The lowest total index of professional stress, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides were registered with property security officers and persons who do not carry firearms. The correlation between the level of stress index at work, an increase in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol levels is statistically significant. We believe that there is a significant correlation between the level of the overall stress index at work and the risk of atherosclerosis in security officers.
Atypical Work Hours and Metabolic Syndrome Among Police Officers
Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health, 2009
This study examined whether atypical work hours are associated with metabolic syndrome among a random sample of 98 police officers. Shift work and overtime data from daily payroll records and reported sleep duration were obtained. Metabolic syndrome was defined as elevated waist circumference and triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, hypertension, and glucose intolerance. Multivariate analysis of variance and analysis of covariance models were used for analyses. Officers working midnight shifts were on average younger and had a slightly higher mean number of metabolic syndrome components. Stratification on sleep duration and overtime revealed significant associations between midnight shifts and the mean number of metabolic syndrome components among officers with less sleep (p = .013) and more overtime (p = .007). Results suggest shorter sleep duration and more overtime combined with midnight shift work may be important contributors to the metabolic syndrome.