WORK-RELATED STRESS, SHIFT AND NIGHT WORK IN THE POLICE FORCE

The Police Officers (PO) is considered at high risk of work-related stress (WRS), for the presence of generic and specific risk factors. Acute stress is related to post-traumatic stress disorder, the "chronic stress" with the risk of burn-out. There is a significant association between WRS and absenteeism, development of mental disorders, risk of metabolic disorders, associated with cardiovascular risk. Police Forces are designed to operate over 24 hours with shifts and night under highly WRS conditions, which results in reduced levels of safety and operational effectiveness. As such it is considered in D.Lgs. 81/2008. The evaluation of the relationship between stress, health and productivity in the OCP, through validated self-administered questionnaires, it is essential to set the correct preventive strategies that constitute the winning tool for PO themselves and for society as a whole.