Public safety – Page 2 – Work, Stress, and Health

The relationship between call volume and daily changes in negative emotions in 911 telecommunicators

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

The study employed a prospective, intensive longitudinal design to examine whether 911 telecommunicators who take more dispatched calls have more intense negative emotions from pre to post-shift, as compared to 911 telecommunicators who take fewer dispatched calls. Participants (n = 48 telecommunicators) completed visual analogue scale ratings of negative emotions before and after their shift over one week. A higher-than-usual daily 911 call volume was associated with greater post-shift irritability, when controlling for pre-shift irritability and shift length.

Understanding Work-Related Stress among Medicolegal Death Professionals: Results of a Thematic Qualitative Analysis

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

Medicolegal death investigators (MDIs) are routinely exposed to stressful and traumatic events, which impacts their own wellbeing and their ability to efficiently complete their investigations, collaborate within the criminal justice system, and interact with families of decedents. Yet relatively little is known about how stress and trauma impact these professionals and how to improve their wellbeing. We conducted a national survey of MDIs to address this gap; this poster focuses on the findings of a qualitative analysis of responses to an open-ended question on this survey. Results highlight the impact of organizational stressors (e.g., lack of management support, inadequate pay and resources); implications for research and practice are discussed.

The Intervention Design and Analysis Scorecard: A Total Worker Health Approach to Identifying Mental Health Stressors of Correctional Staff

November 12, 2021November 12, 2021

A Design Team (DT) of correctional staff met bi-weekly to develop interventions addressing the mental health stressors of correctional staff. Using the Intervention Design and Analyses Scorecard (IDEAS), the DT designed three interventions: Peer support program, report writing training and a family support program. Because of COVID-19, an online approach was adapted for meetings and intervention implementation. Implementation of interventions are currently undergoing and will be reported during the presentation.

Does Sense of Coherence Buffer the Relationship Between Emotional Labor and Burnout in Corrections Officers?

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

This study explores how the stressful environment of working in a prison, particularly in regard to the need to manage emotions (emotional labor), and personal resources (in the form of personal sense of coherence) affect occupational burnout. Using data from a sample of 169 correctional staff members who participated in an ongoing study of health and well-being among staff at state correctional facilities, we examine whether work-based emotional labor is related to the emotional exhaustion component of burnout, and whether personal sense of coherence (SOC) has a protective effect by buffering the impact of emotional labor on burnout-exhaustion.

Association of perceived discrimination at work and depressive symptoms among correctional employees: Assessing the moderating role of sex, race/ethnicity, and job tenure

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

This study uses past participatory data in order to investigate how the mental health, and specifically depressive symptoms, of corrections workers is impacted by perceived workplace discrimination (PWD) from peers, superiors, and inmates. Due to the changing sociodemographic makeup of the corrections workforce and its paramilitary structure, this project will then discuss how belonging to a minority group within the field of corrections (ie. women and people of color) or being less tenured on the job moderates the relationship between PWD and depressive symptoms. This study found a significant positive association between PWD and depressive symptoms and that for those who had less job tenure, there was a stronger relationship between PWD and depressive symptoms. As diversity continues to increase in corrections, these findings can be used to develop interventions to reduce mental health disparities experienced by this population and illustrates a need for more programs that target less tenured employees.

Occupational Stress and Burnout in the Fire Service: Examining the Complex Role and Impact of Sleep Health

November 12, 2021November 12, 2021

The occupational stress inherent in firefighting poses both physiological and psychological risks to firefighters that have been found to possess a reciprocal nature. That is, the nature of these relationships in terms of indicator and impact are elusive, especially as it relates to sleep health (e.g., quality, quantity, hygiene, etc.) as a specific physiological risk and burnout as a specific psychological risk. A series of mediation models were assessed to examine the reciprocal relationships between occupational stress, burnout, and sleep health in a sample of 161 career firefighters. The mediation models confirmed reciprocity among the variables in so much that relationships were best described by the underlying mechanism at work. Comprehensive assessments of both subjective and objective markers of sleep health should be incorporated into firefighter research to supplement behavioral health assessments and interventions, especially related to burnout and occupational stress.

Longitudinal Trends in Musculoskeletal Health, Chronic Pain, and Occupational Factors Among correctional Officers.

November 12, 2021November 12, 2021

This study investigates the trend of musculoskeletal health, chronic pain, violence/assault exposures, physical and psychosocial work factors, and individual health of Correctional Officers. A group of 120 correctional officers from two facilities were followed at two time points with self-reported survey and physical assessments. We will examine the changes in musculoskeletal health and physical and psychosocial work exposures overtime.

Systematic Literature Review of interventions to address mental-health effects of traumatic events in corrections

November 12, 2021November 12, 2021

A national participatory effort among jail and prison professionals, organizations, and researchers involves seeking interventions to address mental health-related risks including stress, burnout and psychological distress from job-related traumatic events. In our scoping review of 1283 studies, only 13 met trauma intervention criteria. The team will further explore the needs for evaluating existing practices to address trauma and stress in criminal justice facilities using surveys and interviews.

Clinical Psychology Consultations in Support of Corrections Employees Engaged in Intervention Design Efforts

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

In March 2020, correctional facilities were not exempt from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and may have been impacted more severely compared to other work settings, especially due to workplace stressors (CDC, 2021; Montoya-Barthelemy, 2020; Okano & Blower, 2020; Rubin, 2020). Utilizing a novel approach (Introduction, Integration, Implementation, and Interpretation), this case study evaluates the strengths and challenges of integrating a clinical perspective in participatory action research.

Worry about COVID-19 Vaccination and Mental Health

November 13, 2021November 12, 2021

The purpose of this research was to examine hospitality employees? worries about guest vaccination status, and its impact on mental health. Participants of a short survey included 219 laid-off or furloughed hospitality workers from Prolific.com. This study found that hospitality employees? worry about COVID-19 exposure partially mediated the relationship between worry about guest vaccination status and mental health. Employees who were more concerned about guest vaccination had worsened mental health, and some of this effect was explained by worry about COVID-19 exposure.