A survey of quality of life and depression for police officers in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
The enormous job stress of police work may result in depression, which is highly correlated with work disability and poor quality of life. We investigated the quality of life, the probability of depression, and the related risk factors for police officers in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.


METHODS
We used the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) and the Disaster-Related Psychological Screening Test (DRPST) to assess the quality of life and prevalence of depression for 832 police officers in Kaohsiung.


RESULTS
The estimated rate of probable major depression was 21.6% (180/832). Those with an educational level of university or above and nondepressed police officers had higher scores in every subscale for quality of life. Police officers older than 50 had higher scores in the mental aspects of quality of life. Family problems and job stress related to achievement, peer pressure about performance, and heavy workloads were predictive factors for depression.


CONCLUSIONS
Police officers might have a higher estimated rate of depression than previously thought, and those with depression have a poorer quality of life.
Chen
Hsiu-Chao
HC
Department of Community Psychiatry, Kai-Suan Psychiatric Hospital, 130 Kai-Suan 2nd Rd., Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chou
Frank Huang-Chih
FH
Chen
Ming-Chao
MC
Su
Shu-Fang
SF
Wang
Shing-Yaw
SY
Feng
Wen-Wei
WW
Chen
Pei-Chun
PC
Lai
Juin-Yang
JY
Chao
Shin-Shin
SS
Yang
Shiow-Lan
SL
Tsai
Tung-Chieh
TC
Tsai
Kuan-Yi
KY
Lin
Kung-Shih
KS
Lee
Chun-Ying
CY
Wu
Hung-Chi
HC
D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016495:Police; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology