NCJ Number
86496
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 10 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1982) Pages: 273-278
Date Published
1982
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Based upon the health profiles of 4,524 California Highway Patrol officers, health evaluation/wellness screening is recommended for police officers to help ensure they are able to perform their duties safely and effectively.
Abstract
The study indicates that low-cost, in-the-field health evaluation/wellness screenings are feasible for very large police agencies. A considerable cost savings can result from having appropriately trained police personnel conduct their agency's health evaluation/wellness screenings. In spite of typically perceiving themselves as healthy and fit, objective measurement of health risks in the sample of officers revealed a disturbingly high proportion of officers who did not meet acceptable health standards. The motivational potential for self-improvement through the adoption of healthier lifestyle habits is high among police officers, and health evaluation/wellness screening can yield reasonably accurate projections of morbidity among police officers for preventable diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Health evaluation/wellness screening can be a cost-effective early warning system in police agencies to detect serious yet alterable risks of disease and premature death. Tabular data and 10 references are provided. (Author summary modified)