Risk factors associated with work-related stress among employees of the South African police service (saps) at a district in Limpopo province, South Africa: an analytical cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Background: One of the world's most demanding jobs is law enforcement. Police officers perform law and order tasks that often expose them to various psychosocial risk factors. These risk factors negatively affect their health and contribute to the burden of non-communicable diseases including mental health. An estimated 300 million people worldwide suffer from mental health issues. Due to exposure to traumatic incidents and work-related stress, police personnel are more likely than the general population to experience mental health illnesses including depression and suicide.