Implications of physical and psychological alterations on Civil Police officers' quality of life.

Abstract

To assess the relationship of physical and psychological changes with quality of life in Civil Police officers from Porto Alegre. Cross-sectional study carried out with 237 workers in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The physical and psychological changes were evaluated by means of the Standardised Nordic Questionnaire, Self-Reporting Questionnaire, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and Effort-Reward Imbalance instruments. Quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life tool. Of all 237 Police officers, 51.9% were men with a mean age of 41.4 years old (± 8.58), and they had been active in the function for 6 (3-14) years. The minor psychiatric disorders (MPD) were positively influenced by musculoskeletal symptoms and by burnout, and exerted a negative influence on the QoL Physical domain. The QoL was negatively influenced by musculoskeletal symptoms, by MPDs and by stress. The QoL Environment domain presented an inverse relationship with stress, which was intensified by burnout. Physical and psychological changes affect Police officers' QoL, impacting on the health system.