 |
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
|
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Robyn R.M. Gershon, MHS DrPH, Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, 600 west 168th st, 4th floor, New York, NY 10032, 212 305-1186, rg405@columbia.edu, xiaoquin - susan lin, MPH, Columbia University, 617 West 168 street, new york, NY 10032, and Xianbin Li, PhD, Dept.of Population and Family Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Rm 4510, 615 N.Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21215.
Workstress across the lifespan is poorly understood, although data suggest that older workers in high stress jobs may be particularly vulnerable to the adverse heath effects associated with stress. We recently explored this issue in a population of older police officers (N=105). High levels of perceived stress in this cohort (50yrs of age and older) were significantly associated with a history of exposure to critical incidents and with maladaptive coping behaviors. Officers reporting high levels of perceived workstress were also significantly more likely to report adverse stress-related health outcomes, such as anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms, PTSD, and burnout. Higher levels of stress also strongly correlated with chronic back and foot pain and with alcohol dependency and aggressive (interpersonal) behavior. These results highlight the potential risks to the health and well being of older workers, especially those in high stress jobs. The impact of current and cumulative stress on older workers may have important public health implications. Considering the unprecedented changes facing the U.S. workforce in the next two decades, these results highlight the pressing need for the development and implementation of risk reduction strategies tailored to the older, high stress worker.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Workplace Stressors, Mental Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.