Association between Depressive Symptoms and Metabolic Syndrome in Police Officers: Results from Two Cross-Sectional Studies

Policing is one of the most dangerous and stressful occupations and such stress can have deleterious effects on health. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between depressive symptoms and metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) in male and female police officers from two study populations, Buffalo, NY and Spokane, WA. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale. MetSyn was defined using the 2005 AHA/NHBLI guidelines. Analysis of covariance was used to describe differences in number of MetSyn components across depressive symptom categories. The number of MetSyn components increased significantly across categories of CES-D for Spokane men only (p-trend = 0.003). For each 5-unit increase in CES-D score, odds increased by 47.6% for having hypertriglyceridemia, by 51.8% for having hypertension, and by 56.7% for having glucose intolerance. Exploring this association is important since both are predictors of future chronic health problems and the results could be helpful in developing future gender-specific prevention and intervention efforts among police officers

Associations of objectively measured and self-reported sleep duration with carotid artery intima media thickness among police officers

BACKGROUND: We aimed to examine the association of objectively measured and self-reported sleep duration with carotid artery intima media thickness (IMT) among 257 police officers, a group at high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS: Sleep duration was estimated using actigraphic data and through self-reports. The mean maximum IMT was the average of the largest 12 values scanned bilaterally from three angles of the near and far wall of the common carotid, bulb, and internal carotid artery. Linear and quadratic regression models were used to assess the association of sleep duration with IMT. RESULTS: Officers who had fewer than 5 or 8 hr or more of objectively measured sleep duration had significantly higher maximum IMT values, independent of age. Self-reported sleep duration was not associated with either IMT measure. CONCLUSION: Attainment of sufficient sleep duration may be considered as a possible strategy for atherosclerosis prevention among police officers

Who gets PTSD? : issues of posttraumatic stress vulnerability

Persons engaged in occupations that require emergency responses must frequently deal with exposure to incidents that are traumatic. Some of these persons develop posttraumatic stress reactions or fullblown posttraumatic stress disorder, while others do not. A key issue in the development of traumatic stress is vulnerability. This book draws from research and life experiences on trauma vulnerability to better understand how mental health professionals and those concerned with the psychological well-being of others may disentangle the perplexing questions of who gets PTSD, why they do, and how we may prevent or minimize this from happening. Major topics in the text include: assessing psychological distress and physiological vulnerability in police officers; personal, organizational, and contextual influences in stress vulnerability; differences in vulnerability to posttraumatic deprivation; gender differences in police work stress and trauma; trauma types, frequency of exposure, and gender differences; personal, event, and organizational influences in police stress vulnerability; vulnerability, war, and prisoner abuse; reducing trauma through personal and response management; psychological vulnerability among international aid workers; prolonged separation and family vulnerability; risk communication and equilibrium theory; a statistical model for measuring trauma vulnerability; and traumatic stress in protective services professions. What is clear from the chapters that comprise this volume is that vulnerability should be conceptualized as a multilevel phenomenon, and the text identifies the contributing levels of analysis that provides the foundation for this process. The text will serve as a valuable resource to professionals in law enforcement, emergency and paramedical services, and the military, as well as to psychologists, psychiatrists, and counselors