High prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among policemen in Puducherry, South India

Atomic Ruthenium-Promoted Cadmium Sulfide for Photocatalytic Production of Amino Acids from Biomass Derivatives

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and are widely used as important ingredients for other nitrogen-containing molecules. Here, we report the sustainable production of amino acids from biomass-derived hydroxy acids with high activity under visible-light irradiation and mild conditions, using atomic ruthenium-promoted cadmium sulfide (Ru1/CdS). On a metal basis, the optimized Ru1/CdS exhibits a maximal alanine formation rate of 26.0 molAla ⋅ gRu -1 ⋅ h-1, which is 1.7 times and more than two orders of magnitude higher than that of its nanoparticle counterpart and the conventional thermocatalytic process, respectively. Integrated spectroscopic analysis and density functional theory calculations attribute the high performance of Ru1/CdS to the facilitated charge separation and O-H bond dissociation of the α-hydroxy group, here of lactic acid. The operando nuclear magnetic resonance further infers a unique "double activation" mechanism of both the CH-OH and CH3-CH-OH structures in lactic acid, which significantly accelerates its photocatalytic amination toward alanine.

Cardiovascular disease risk factor prevalence among police officials: findings from a cross-sectional study in Kerala, India

OBJECTIVES

Police officials' stressful and physically demanding activities reportedly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study explored the prevalence of CVD risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and overweight among police officials in Kerala, India.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 255 police officials in selected police stations in the Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. The World Health Organization STEPs questionnaire for noncommunicable disease risk factor surveillance was used to collect information. We collected STEP 1 (demographics, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and diet) and STEP 2 (weight, height, and blood pressure) data. Multivariable analysis was done to identify factors associated with hypertension.

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 42 years (range: 30-55 years) and the majority were men (83.5%). Current use of tobacco or alcohol was reported by 22.7% of the participants. The prevalence of overweight was 64.7% and physical inactivity was 35.1%. Self-reported prevalence of diabetes was 7.5% and of hyperlipidemia was 11.4%. Hypertension prevalence was 40.4%. Among hypertensives, 35.9% were aware, 20.4% were treated, and 5.8% had controlled blood pressure. The control rate was 28.6% among treated hypertensives. When controlling for age, diabetes (odds ratio [OR]: 3.57; 95% CI: 1.16-10.90), and overweight (OR: 1.88; 95% CI: 1.06-3.35) participants were more likely to have hypertension compared with their counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

Police officers have a high prevalence of significant CVD risk factors such as hypertension, physical inactivity, and being overweight. These findings reinforce the need for interventions addressing the above risk factors to prevent CVD in this population.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Metabolic Syndrome among Police Officers in Kozhikode Corporation

Context

Police personnel constitute a special occupational group with exposure to stressful work environment indirectly resulting in a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, including metabolic syndrome (MS), hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cigarette smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle is reported among policemen. Surveillance activities are limited in the present scenario.

Aims

The present study was designed to measure the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular risk factors among police officers in Kozhikode district and observe the trend over the last 10 years.

Settings and Design

The design was cross-sectional and spanned 630 policemen of Kozhikode Corporation in Kerala Methods and Material: Data collection was done using a pre-tested questionnaire. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were carried out using standard techniques. MS was diagnosed using the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III criteria.

Statistical Analysis Used

Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 20.0 software. Prevalence of MS and cardiovascular risk factors were expressed as percentages (95% CI). Associated factors with MS were identified using Chi square test.

Results

MS was observed in 45.1% of the study population. Obesity and lack of physical activity were the commonest abnormalities. Cardiovascular risk factors identified were high body mass index (67.3%), lack of physical activity (47.1%), hypertension (16.7%), alcohol use (24.2%), smoking (17.3%) and diabetes (8.8%).

Conclusions

There is a rising prevalence (16.8% in 2012 to 45.1% in 2021) of Metabolic Syndrome among policemen in Calicut Corporation. All the cardio vascular risk factors are also highly prevalent among the policemen. Policy makers might seriously take up the issue and introduce effective policies that might help reduce the incidence of MS and other cardio vascular risk factors in the newly recruited young policemen.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Hypertension among Police Personnel of District Gwalior- A Cross Sectional Study

CONTEXT

Hypertension is an emerging public health problem due to its high prevalence and association with cardiovascular and overall morbidity and mortality. Police personnel constitute a special occupational group with exposure to violence and stress at work, which affects their health directly and indirectly.

METHODOLOGY

A cross-sectional study was conducted to find out the prevalence of hypertension and its relation with respect to police duty profile along with other risk factors among the police personnel of the Gwalior district stationed at various police stations.

RESULTS

In total, 402 police personnel were included in the study. Forty (14.7%) participants reported that they had h/o hypertension, while 26 (9.5%) reported that they were diagnosed as hypertensive in recent 1-2 months. As per the findings of our study, 273 (67.91%) participants come out to be hypertensive; among them, 207 (75.8%) were diagnosed in the current study. With increase in hierarchy, more police personnel suffered with hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS

Long duty hours, higher rank, prolonged service duration, and inappropriate eating habits are the significant factors for the high prevalence of hypertension in police personnel.

The Associations of Perceived and Oxidative Stress with Hypertension in a Cohort of Police Officers

PURPOSE

Associations between perceived stress and oxidative stress marker and metabolic syndrome (MetS) components were investigated in a cohort of police officers.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data from a cohort of non-diabetic subjects (n=233; 19F), median [interquartile range] age 50 [37-44] years, were analysed. MetS was construed in line with International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria and perceived stress with Cohen's 10-item Perceived Stress Scale. Plasma oxidative stress marker (free 8-iso-prostaglandin F_2α; 8-iso-PGF_2α), presence of coronary plaque, carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT), and physical activity level were also determined.

RESULTS

Obesity was established in 100 (42.92%), hypertension in 111 (47.64), whereas MetS was identified in 104 (44.63%) of the study subjects. A significant difference (p=0.003) in plasma 8-iso-PGF_2α level, depending on the MetS components status, was noted. The associations of perceived stress with plasma 8-iso-PGF_2α level and the select study variables were gender-specific. In multivariate analysis (adjusted for age and current smoking), positive associations of plasma 8-iso-PGF_2α levels with PSS score (B=0.108, 95% CI [0.008, 0.209], p=0.03) and systolic blood pressure (B=0.029, 95% CI [0.003, 0.057], p=0.02) in men only were established. Both the perceived stress (OR 1.101, 95% CI [1.001-1.202], p=0.03) and plasma 8-iso-PGF_2α levels (OR 1.223, 95% CI [1.046-1.432], p=0.01) impacted the prevalence of hypertension. Out of the MetS components, the effect of waist circumference (OR=1.138, 95% CI [1.064-1.218], p=0.0001) and glucose (B=2.696, 95% CI [1.081-6.725], p=0.03) were also encountered. No such associations were noted in women, though, neither in univariate nor in multivariate analyses. The prevalence of coronary plaque (0.001), obesity (p<0.001), hypertension (p<0.001) and median cIMT value (p=0.005), as well as leisure-time (p=0.04) and total walking physical activity (p=0.03), differed significantly between the subgroups stratified by MetS components status.

CONCLUSION

Both the perceived and oxidative stress were found instrumental in promoting hypertension in a cohort of police officers under study, whereas all study outcomes were conclusively gender-related.

Prevalence of Hypertension and its Determinants among Policemen in a City of Haryana, India

Introduction

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) kill 40 million people each year, equivalent to 70% of all deaths globally. Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths or 17.7 million people annually. Police work has been regarded by some researchers as one of the most stressful occupations in the world, and coronary heart disease has been identified as a major cause of mortality in this population.

Materials and Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out during July 2016-June 2017 among 450 policemen posted in Rohtak city of Haryana selected randomly. The investigator made two measurements of blood pressure. Data were collected using predesigned, pretested, semi-structured interview schedule, and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20.0.

Results

Of 450 participants, 164 (36.4%) participants were found to be hypertensive. Age of study participants, duration of service, rank, and education are significantly associated with the prevalence of hypertension (HTN) among policemen.

Conclusion

HTN in policemen has emerged as an important public health problem. Knowledge of risk factors for HTN may give tracks for prevention in this population. Therefore, it is the need of hour to devise a sound screening strategy to diagnose HTN among policemen and devise a comprehensive strategy for the management of HTN.

A systematic review on occupational hazards, injuries and diseases among police officers worldwide: Policy implications for the South African Police Service

Background

Occupational hazards, injuries and diseases are a major concern among police officers, including in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is limited locally relevant literature for guiding policy for the South African Police Service (SAPS). The purpose of this review was to describe the occupational hazards, injuries and diseases affecting police officers worldwide, in order to benchmark policy implications for the SAPS.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of studies using Google Scholar, PubMed and Scopus.

Results

A total of 36 studies were included in this review. Six revealed that police officers’ exposure to accident hazards may lead to acute or chronic injuries such as sprains, fractures or even fatalities. These hazards may occur during driving, patrol or riot control. There were two studies, which confirmed physical hazards such as noise induced hearing loss (NIHL), due to exposure to high levels of noise. Three studies on chemical hazards revealed that exposure to high concentrations of carbon dioxide and general air pollution was associated with cancer, while physical exposure to other chemical substances was linked to dermatitis. Four studies on biological hazards demonstrated potential exposure to blood borne diseases from needle stick injuries (NSIs) or cuts from contaminated objects. One study on ergonomic hazards showed that musculoskeletal disorders can result from driving long distances and lifting heavy objects. There were 15 studies that indicated psychological hazards such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as stress. Moreover, four studies were conducted on organizational hazards including burnout, negative workplace exposure and other factors.

Conclusions

This review outlined the global impact of occupational hazards, injuries and diseases in the police force. It served as a benchmark for understanding the policy implications for South Africa, where there is paucity of studies on occupational health and safety.

Are Police Personnel in Puducherry Healthy? Findings from "Partners in Prevention" Programme in Puducherry, India

Background

Prevalence of cardiovascular diseases are reported to be high in police force, which constitute a special occupational group. "Partners in Prevention" was a special surveillance activity carried out among the personnel of the Department of Police, Government of Puducherry by JIPMER, Puducherry. The present study reports the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular risk factors in this group.

Materials and Methods

The design was cross-sectional analytical study covering 1618 policemen during 2013-15. A pre-tested questionnaire was used for collecting data. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were carried out using standard techniques. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed using the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) consensus worldwide definition. Statistical analysis was performed using the IBM- SPSS 21 software.

Results

The mean (SD) age of the participants was 45.7 (10.1) years. Majority (90%) of the participants were males and were in the age group of 30-59 years. Metabolic syndrome was observed in two-fifth (42%) of the study population. We found the prevalence as: hypertension (45.2%), abnormal HDL levels (62.3%), diabetes (34.7.1%), and high body mass index of >=25 kg/m² (60.5%).

Conclusion

Our study identified that police personnel were having high CVDs and risk factors. It calls for an urgent need to initiate screening and secondary prevention programmes.

Work-related stress as a cardiovascular risk factor in police officers: a systematic review of evidence

PURPOSE

Several studies suggest that work-related stress in police officers may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. A systematic review of studies is, however, still lacking.

METHOD

According to PRISMA statement, a systematic search of PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Cinahl and PsychInfo electronic databases was undertaken. Studies published in English between 1/1/2000 and 31/12/2016 were included. A studies quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle Ottawa scale (NOS).

RESULTS

The preliminary search retrieved 752 records. After selection, 16 studies (total population 17,698) were retrieved. The average quality of studies was low. Exposure to stress in cross-sectional studies was inconstantly associated with hypertension, obesity, dyslipidaemia, and impaired glucose metabolism. In addition, there was a prevalence of positive studies showing an association between stress and cardiovascular disease morbidity. Studies of higher quality, such as longitudinal studies on large sample size, were more supportive of a significant positive association between stress and cardiovascular risk factors. Results were, however, often conflicting and inconsistent with regard to definitions and measurement of stress, features of individual study design, study conduct, and conclusions drawn.

CONCLUSIONS

A sound precautionary principle would be to adopt worksite health promotion programs designed to implement stress management strategies in this category of workers.

Prevalence of Chronic Morbidity and Sociodemographic Profile of Police Personnel - A Study from Gujarat

INTRODUCTION

The police personnel are special group of population that work for minimum 12 hours a day. They are at risk of various types of chronic morbidities.

AIM

To determine the sociodemographic, chronic morbidity and health profile of police personnel of Vadodara district.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

It was a cross-sectional study conducted on the police force of Vadodara district, Gujarat, India. The present study was the outcome of health checkup camp for police personnel. Total 982 police personnel participated in the aforementioned study. Information regarding the sociodemographic profile, addiction to alcohol drinking, tobacco chewing or smoking, diagnosed chronic morbidities, BMI, blood sugar and history of exercise and yoga was collected. Data collected was entered into Microsoft Excel 2007 and analysed by using Epi-Info 7. Statistical methods used included frequencies and proportions for categorical data while range, mean and standard deviation were calculated for continuous data. For bivariate analysis, Chi-square test was used.

RESULTS

In the study population, 95.10% were males. The prevalence of chronic morbidity, hypertension and diabetes were 9.5%, 5% and 2.6% respectively. About 47.05% had normal BMI and mean BMI was 24. The study revealed that 7.64% police personnel had the habit of smoking, 3.16% consumed alcohol whereas 24.03% consumed tobacco products. It was found that 138 (14.05%) were active in sports and 304 (30.95%) were actively involved in exercise while 44 (4.48%) were involved in yoga.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of hypertension (5%) and diabetes (2.6%) were low as compared to the general population (NFHS-4). This can be attributed to health consciousness prevalent among the population. A substantial number of study population were involved in sports, exercise and yoga.

Job stress and behavioral characteristics in relation to coronary heart disease risk among Japanese police officers

This study examined the association between job-related behavioral characteristics and the risk of coronary heart diseases (CHD) in Japanese male police officers. Compared to office clerks, police officers exhibited greater age-related increases of the prevalence of CHD risk factors, and a clustering number of CHD risk factors was significantly higher in the group of those over 45 yr of age. Among the police officers, coronary-prone behavior was more frequent than that seen in office clerks. The police officers with coronary-prone behavior tended to engage in shift work and to work overtime more; yet they were less likely to perceive job stress and to express the relevant physical and psychological symptoms than those without coronary-prone behavior. The subjects with such behavioral characteristics had a significantly greater number of CHD risk factors. In a multiple regression analysis, coronary-prone behavior together with age, social support, walking hours per day, and amount of alcohol consumption were selected as significant determinants of a cluster of CHD risk factors. These results suggest that coronary-prone behavior may contribute to the higher prevalence of CHD risk factors in police officers via leading the long working hours and the work-related unfavorable lifestyles, such as alcohol drinking and physical inactivity.

Prevalence and factors associated with diabetes mellitus and impaired fasting glucose level among members of federal police commission residing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus and factors associated with it, nowadays, are increasing in alarming rates among different occupational groups. Of these occupational groups are Police officers that, often, are exposed to unique life styles and stressful situations which may lead to diabetes mellitus and other cardiovascular diseases. Due to this reason, the present study was conducted to assess the prevalence and factors associated with diabetes mellitus and impaired fasting glucose level among members of federal police commission residing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design was conducted from April to May 2015. Multistage and systematic random sampling techniques were employed to select the study participants. The study population was federal police commission members living in Addis Ababa and served for at least a year. The data were collected using structured questionnaire, physical examinations and blood samples, based on the WHO stepwise approach. Data were entered in to SPSS version 20.0 and descriptive statistics and logistics regression were used for analysis.

RESULTS

Out of the 1003 eligible subjects, 936 (93.3%) police officers have participated in this study. The prevalence of overall impaired glucose homeostasis (IGH) was 120 (13%) of which 47 (5%) were diabetes and 73 (8%) were impaired fasting glucose. Whereas police rank, history of first degree relative who suffered from diabetes, hypertension and waist hip ratio showed a statistical significance with prevalence of diabetes mellitus, age, family history, hypertension, BMI and waist hip ratio were found to be associated with impaired fasting glucose.

CONCLUSION

The study identified a high prevalence of IGH among the police officers. A priority should be given on preventive strategies of diabetes mellitus, as that of communicable diseases, by Federal Police Commission Health Service Directorate, Federal Ministry of Health and other concerned partners.

Study on serum cortisol and perceived stress scale in the police constables

INTRODUCTION

The occupational stress may be more among the police constables. Under the stressed conditions, the body secretes more Cortisol. Elevated serum cortisol levels significantly correlate with the symptoms of metabolic Syndrome. Perceived stress scale (PSS) is the most widely used psychological tool for measuring the perception of stress. The objective of this study was to examine the association between perceived stress and Serum Cortisol and also to explore stress as an occupational risk factor which may lead to metabolic syndrome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We measured Serum Cortisol, Lipid profile, Blood Glucose and HbA1c in both Police constables and the general population. Also to evaluate the occupational stress, the questionnaire consisting of Perceived stress scale -14 items was used.

RESULTS

A positive correlation was found between Serum Cortisol and perceived stress scale, Blood Glucose, HbA1c. The biochemical parameters were found to be elevated in police constables compared to controls. It was found that among 108 policemen, 38% were confirmed with cardiometabolic syndrome.

CONCLUSION

The relation between Serum Cortisol and perceived stress scale indicates the severity of occupational stress the police constables are experiencing. So the occupation based health program for lifestyle changes, modification in job related rules and regulations will help to avert further complications and keep police personnel healthy.

Co-morditities of environmental diseases: A common cause

The global pandemic of non-vector borne environmental diseases may, in large part, be attributed to chronic exposures to ever increasing levels of exogenous lipophilic chemicals. These chemicals include persistent organic pollutants, semi-volatile compounds and low molecular weight hydrocarbons. Such chemicals facilitate the sequential absorption of otherwise not absorbed more toxic hydrophilic species that attack numerous body organs and systems, leading to environmental disease. Co-morbidities of non-communicable environmental diseases are alarmingly high, with as many as half of all individuals chronically ill with two or more diseases. Co-morbidity is to be anticipated, since all of the causative chemicals identified have independently been shown to trigger the individual diseases.