Stress, anxiety, depression and stress coping strategies among traffic police in Kathmandu valley.

Thesis Report.

SUMMARY: Traffic police plays crucial role in maintaining the traffic and making the life easier on road. The job of police is considered as an extremely stressful occupation which is physically demanding and mentally challenging. The growing population with an increasing number of vehicles and the harsh working environment has made the work of traffic police more stressful. They are under tremendous pressure from the government as well as from the general public to perform their best. High stress creates low performance in the employees whereas low to moderate stress enhances the performances. Stress needs to be handled with proper stress coping strategies. This study assessed the prevalence of stress, anxiety and depression, its associated factors and stress coping strategies among traffic police. A cross-sectional concurrent explanatory mixed method design was used. The workplace factor and working environment was further assessed qualitatively through in depth interview among traffic police. The study was conducted from October 2018 to April 2019. A total of 300 participants were included in the study. The data was collected through self- administered questionnaire and in depth interview. DASS 21 was used to measure depression, anxiety and stress where as Brief COPE inventory was used to find out the stress coping strategies. The data was entered through Epi Data 3.1 version and analysis was performed in IBM SPSS version 22. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to identify the association of the variables like demographic and social economic, behavioral and personal characteristics, work place related factors and stress coping strategies. The mean age of the respondents was 29.1 years with standard deviation of 5.75 years. Most of the respondents were male (92%) and police constables (74%). The prevalence of stress, anxiety and depression was 44%, 47% and 41.3 % respectively and most of the traffic police used positive coping strategies. The results of this study is expected to provide decision makers with evidences that can be used to design effective strategies for making the work place friendly and enhancing the mental health of traffic police. The variables like gender, income, smoking status, alcohol drinking status, working hour, switching of profession and interference of work with family time and coping strategies like use of instrumental support and substance use were significantly with stress. Similarly health insurance, smoking status, alcohol drinking status, working hour, sleeping hour, food regularity, shift work and coping strategies like use of instrumental support, acceptance, venting and substance use were significantly associated with anxiety and gender, religion physical exercise, regular health checkup, working hour, shift work, smoking and drinking alcohol, support from supervisor, interference of work with family time and coping strategies like venting, use of emotional support and substance use was significantly associated with depression. In multivariate analysis smokers were 6.7 times, 8 times and 9.7 times more likely to have stress, anxiety and depression respectively than who do not smoke. Traffic police who wanted to switch their profession were 2.3 times more likely to have stress. Individuals working for 12 hours or more most of the times in a week were 2 times, 2.5 times and 3.4 times more likely to have stress, anxiety and depression respectively than those who work less than 12 hours. Depression was 2.6 times more likely to be present among the traffic police who were not doing physical exercise. Traffic police using instrumental support as a stress coping strategies were found to be less stressed. Long working hour, supplies and facilities provided, support from supervisors, coping strategies were found to associated stress, anxiety and depression which was consistent with the findings of in depth interview. Some of the measures like stress management training/ program to all the traffic police, mandatory physical and mental health checkup at regular basis, can be helpful in reducing stress, anxiety and depression. Also the attention should be paid to commonly expressed complaints of traffic, police which include issues related to time balance, income insufficiency, increment of leave, facilities, work environment which help in improving the well being of the traffic police personnel.