Generic and police-specific occupational risk factors of mental health and well-being among urban and sub-urban Malaysian traffic police officers

Introduction: Mental health in policing has been widely studied but incidence of mental health illnesses among them keep increasing. This study aimed to analyse generic and specific work stressors among police officers and their differences between urban and sub-urban police population. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Kuala Lumpur and in nine sub-urban provinces in Pahang and Negeri Sembilan which involved 328 traffic police officers recruited by universal sampling. Data was collected by using self-administered questionnaire consisted of Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ), the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), the Work Family Conflicts (WFC), the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Results: The response rate was 71.30%. Majority of respondents were male (86.59%) with average age of 38.84 years old. The prevalence of probable mental health illnesses was 29.80% in sub-urban and 44.30% in urban. Job demand, role ambiguity, family to work conflicts and almost all specific works stressors were significantly higher among urban respondents. For urban, results showed that the most significant stressor was perceived air pollution (p<0.01) followed by age (p=0.01), job control (p=0.01), and operational stressors (p=0.03). While in sub-urban, the most significant stressors determined were the presence of chronic diseases (p=0.03) and organizational stressors (p=0.01). Conclusion: The prevalence of probable mental health illnesses was high in both study areas and each area had its own unique work stressors. Intervention strategies prioritizing on these factors are therefore recommended

The association between noise, work stress and coping with sleep quality among cable manufacturing workers

Poor sleep quality has been found previously to cause various negative outcome among workers. There are many factors which may influence sleep quality which include noise and work stress. This is the first study aims to explore the association between three factors; noise, work stress and coping strategies and sleep quality among manufacturing workers. This study employed cross-sectional study design involving 140 cable manufacturing workers who were recruited via simple random sampling. The Malay-version Stress Overload Scale (SOS) was used to measure stress overload. Coping strategies was assessed via Coping Strategy Indicator (CSI) and sleep quality was estimated by using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). All respondents were male and most of them were Malay, married and working as machine operator. Results showed that at least 50% of the subject were exposed to the noise level of more than 86.83 dB (A). Majority of respondents (89.3%) had poor sleep quality and experienced low level of stress (77.9%). Higher level of all components of work stress (r =0.18-0.22) and higher level of being avoidance as a coping strategy (r = 0.26) were found to be significantly correlated with poorer sleep quality. However, noise was not found to be a significant factor of sleep quality. The present findings suggested that work stress and coping were the dominant determinants for sleep quality which helps in prioritizing intervention strategies to improve sleep quality among respondents

The role of mosquito predators in the ecosystem in reducing the incidence of dengue

The aim of this study was to show that the presence of mosquito predators in the ecosystem decreased the incidence of dengue cases. Data was obtained by daily inspection of 85 Aedes mosquito potential breeding point at 15 dengue outbreak hotspot localities with at least one mosquito predator present at the locality and the VEKPRO programme used in the monitoring of dengue cases in Malaysia. The mosquito predators identified were dragonfly, dragonfly nymph, gambushia fish, tadpole and frog. The study was done at the district of Petaling from 4th January, 2015 to 4th July 2015. The results show that the presence of mosquito predators hinder the breeding of Aedes mosquito in the ecosystem which is related to a decrease in dengue cases

Are Malaysian police really stressed? understanding their potential stress factors

Background: A large number of studies have been conducted on mental health among police officers but data for Malaysian police are rarely available. Materials and Methods: This is an archival documentary research that use documents as the research tools. Both hardcopies and online resources were sought from various online databases and related institutions. Relevant information was scrutinised to further understand about mental health status and its potential factors among Malaysian police. Result: Two articles were published about mental health among Malaysian police. Another three studies were unpublished. Their findings indicated that several groups of police officers were stressed. However, inconsistent method and instrumentation were used in these local studies. Small sample size and different sample and job scope lead to inconclusive and uncertainty ideas about the real situation of mental health among Malaysian police. Information from several reliable documents showed that Malaysian police are facing various stressors throughout their career. However, how far these potential stressors affect their mental health remained to be unexplored. Moreover, the efficiency of the current mental health support in the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) is yet to be discovered. Conclusion: Future studies needs to consider the variability of work task among Malaysian police. Instruments to be used to identify stressors among police officers should be more carefully selected which can cover the unique stressors exist in police. Studies on mental health support in RMP is worth to be explored

Factors of job satisfaction among workers exposed to occupational noise

Introduction: Noise was evident to reduce job satisfaction among workers which will negative impacts to workers including increase job turnover, decrease motivation and increased number of accidents. This study aims to explore job satisfaction and its risk factors among workers working in a noisy workplace. Method: The study design was cross-sectional study which involved 167 workers in a cable manufacturing factory selected by simple random sampling. MSQ was used to assess employee’s satisfaction with their job on seven facets and sound level meter was used to measure workplace noise level. Results: All respondents were exposed to noise above permissible exposure limit. Most workers (49%) were moderately satisfied with their work. Factors that were rated as lowest level of satisfaction were work itself (the ability to work alone) (40%) and the way company system policies are implemented (40%). Factors with the highest level of satisfaction were their freedom to implement their judgement (responsibility) (51%) and the supervision quality of their superiors (51%). The most dominant facet predicting total satisfaction level was recognition followed by advancement and company policy and administration. All variables in socio-demographical and job characteristics were not significantly associated with their level of job satisfaction except noise. Noise was significant in predicting one facet of job satisfaction which was physical work condition. Conclusion: Overall, the average level of job satisfaction among respondents were moderate and they were exposed to occupational noise which was the only significant study variable correlated with their job satisfaction

Commitment, attitude and behavioural changes of the community towards a waste segregation program: a case study of Malaysia

The rate of waste segregation is poor in Malaysia where only 5% of waste is segregated and recycled. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Taman Sri Andalas, Serdang Jaya Selangor to determine factors that are associated with the participation of the public in a waste segregation program and to determine the reduction of waste from the waste segregation activity implemented in this study. A total of 69 households were arbitrarily selected across streets to participate in this study. Two types of bins (i.e. recycled and food waste) were provided to each participating household and the weights of the waste were measured at two different time intervals. The behavioural changes of respondents were assessed based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The volume of waste segregated has increased significantly, from 9.4% to 10.6% while 13.3% of the community waste is food waste that could be used as compost. In total, the volume of waste designated for the landfill has decreased from 100% to 76.2% in the span of three weeks. Nine behavioural factors show significant positive changes between the start and the end of the program. The waste segregation program that was conducted has resulted in behavioural changes of households towards waste segregation activity

The risk factors of workplace violence among healthcare workers in public hospital

Introduction: Workplace violence become a global concern and perceived as a very serious safety and health hazard especially in healthcare setting. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of workplace violence and its associated risk factors among healthcare workers in public hospital. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study which involved 136 randomly selected respondents among doctors and nurses in a public hospital in Kuala Lumpur. Data was gathered through a self-administered questionnaire consisted of two standardized questionnaire; Workplace Violence (WPV) and Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ-27). Results: The response rate was 91%. The prevalence of reported WPV was 71.3% where nurses (73.2%) had slightly higher prevalence than doctors (69.2%). The most common forms of WPV was verbal abuse (70.6%), followed by bullying/mobbing (29.4%), physical violence (11.0%), and sexual harassment (6.6%). The perpetrators were mostly among relatives of patients and visitors followed by the patients. Multiple logistic regression shows that respondents working in Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department was 17 times more likely to report workplace violence than those working in Pediatric Department. Also, for every 1 year younger, respondents were 5 times more likely to experience workplace violence controlling for other factors. Conclusion: The prevalence of workplace violent among respondents were high and most common among young workers, especially nurses and those working in A&E Department. Hence, further assessment should be carried out to reduce the identified risk factors and to find ways of solving this issue

Heat strain and work performance among traffic police officers in Kuala Lumpur

Introduction: The strong El Nino phenomena increase temperature in Malaysia that directly affects the health of traffic police officers who are highly exposed to high temperature and humidity while controlling traffic. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the association between heat strain and work performance among police traffic officers. Methodology: The study is divided into two parts that is, first, a measurement of heat stress index at five different workstations at Kuala Lumpur during afternoon using wet bulb globe temperature. Second, the survey was distributed to gain information of work performances from the respondent. Result: Findings indicated that the heat stress index at five locations exceeded the threshold limit value ranging from 33.3 to 41.8°C for 75% work and 25% rest. The most prevalent heat strain symptoms were fatigue (57.9%), dizziness (31%), and muscle cramps (16.4%). Results from multiple regression showed that marital status and the perception of heat exposure are significantly associated with work performance after considering socio-demographical data, heat strain symptoms, and work characteristics. Conclusion: Traffic police officers were exposed to a high level of heat and perceived to reduce their work performance

The relationship between noise with stress and sleep disturbances among manufacturing workers

Objective: Noise can pose various detrimental effects that may put workers at high risk for occupational injuries and detrimental organisational consequences. This study aims to determine the effects of occupational noise exposure levels to psychological stress and sleep disturbance among manufacturing workers in Selangor. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 80 manufacturing workers who were exposed to noise levels of above 85dB. The response rate was 80%. Sound level meter (SLM) was used to measure workplace ambient noise level. O’Donnell Personal Stress Inventory was used to measure stress level and Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) was used to measure psychosocial factors of stress. While the level of sleep disturbances was measured via Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Result: Thirty respondents (38%) were classified to be stressful and 57 respondents (71.3%) were having poor sleep.Noise was found to be insignificant in predicting stress level and sleep disturbances. Gender and interpersonal relationship significantly associated with stress levels. Work demand, marital status and income were significant in predicting sleep disturbances. Conclusion: Findings indicated that workers were protected from noise exposure by wearing ear plugs. However, the prevalence of sleep disturbance was high. Therefore intervention strategies to improve sleep quality should focus on those identified significant psychosocial work factors

Introduction to customized occupational safety and health website and its effectiveness in improving psychosocial safety climate (PSC) among police officers

Introduction: The prevalence of stress among Malaysian police is high in which 38.8% polices have severe stress related to work resources and workplace environment. Psychosocial safety climate is one of the indicators that can be used to avoid psychosocial health problems. Objective: This study was conducted to determine the risk factors of psychosocial safety climate and to measure the effectiveness of a customised safety website in improving the safety climate. Methodology: This study involved 105 police officers who were randomly selected from nine different departments in PDRM Bukit Aman. A survey adapted from previous study was used to determine the psychosocial safety climate levels among respondents. Then, occupational safety website was introduced to the respondents and being used for two weeks. Lastly, post survey was done to see the difference of psychosocial safety climate before and after the use of the website. Results and Discussion: Findings showed that team psychological safety (r=0.381, p=<0.001) and physical safety climate (r=0.657, p=<0.001) were significantly associated with psychosocial safety climate level. The means before (36.095 ± 5.6202) and after (37.742 ± 4.7069) the introduction of occupational safety website was good. Still, there was a significant improvement of psychosocial safety climate level after the introduction of occupational safety website. Conclusion: This study showed that psychosocial safety climate level in an organization can be improved by introducing an informative website specific for police