title: A survey of quality of life and depression for police officers in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Psychiatry, Kai-Suan Psychiatric Hospital, 130 Kai-Suan 2nd Rd., Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiu-Chao
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Frank Huang-Chih
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Ming-Chao
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shu-Fang
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Shing-Yaw
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-Wei
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Pei-Chun
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Juin-Yang
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Shin-Shin
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Shiow-Lan
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Tung-Chieh
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Kuan-Yi
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Kung-Shih
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chun-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hung-Chi
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: 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