[Prevalence and violence-associated factors in the work environment of female prison guards in Brazil]

The impact of workplace violence on job burnout among Chinese correctional officers: the chain mediating effects of stress and insomnia

BACKGROUND

The risk of workplace violence and job burnout among Chinese correctional officers is high. Stress and insomnia may influence the relationship between workplace violence and job burnout; however, this influence has been rarely studied. This study aimed to explore the effect of workplace violence on job burnout among Chinese correctional officers and to assess the contribution of stress and insomnia to this effect.

METHODS

In this study, the workplace violence scale, the Assens insomnia scale, the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey scale were used to assess the workplace violence, insomnia, stress, and job burnout experienced by the 472 correctional officers, respectively.

RESULTS

The results showed that (1) workplace violence was significantly and positively predictive of job burnout, (2) workplace violence affected job burnout through the mediation of stress, (3) workplace violence affected job burnout through the mediation of insomnia, and (4) stress and insomnia played fully interlocking mediating roles in the effect of workplace violence on job burnout.

CONCLUSION

Stress and insomnia may play a full mediating role in the relationship between workplace violence and job burnout. This suggested that correctional officers may take measures to reduce stress and improve insomnia, thereby reducing their job burnout. Further research may focus on the development of effective interventions to reduce stress and improve insomnia among correctional officers.

[Hypertension in female prisoners in Brazil: far beyond the biological aspects]

The scope was to estimate the prevalence of arterial hypertension (AHT) and associated risk factors among female prisoners. Data from the National Health Survey of the Female Prison Population and Prison Guards were used, investigating sociodemographic variables, prison characteristics, health behaviors and conditions. Information was collected through a self-administered questionnaire, and the magnitude of the association was estimated by the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Of the 1,327 prisoner participants, 24.4% were hypertensive, the majority were 31 years of age or older (54.6%), and 51.5% self-reported mixed race. After adjustment for associated risk factors in the bivariate analysis, a direct relationship between age and AHT was observed, in which age equal to/over 41 years was independently associated with a 7-fold greater chance of having AHT, compared to those under 25 years of age. Those who self-reported mixed race, had high cholesterol, were obese and were also independently associated with a higher prevalence of AHT. The greater the number of people with whom the inmate shares a cell was associated with a higher prevalence of AHT, but without a dose-response relationship. The conclusion drawn is that age, race, obesity, physical inactivity and stress are risk factors for AHT in female prisoners.

Working conditions and common mental disorders in prison officers in the inland region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract The prison officer profession is characterized by working in risky situations, which can harm officers’ mental health. This research aimed to analyze prison officers’ working conditions associated with Common Mental Disorders (CMD). This cross-sectional study was conducted with prison officers in four penitentiary units in the inland region of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, from January to August 2019. The Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) tool was employed to quantify the presence of CMDs. Poisson regression verified the association between variables with robust variance and adjusted for confounding factors to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). The study population comprised 331 prison officers (ASP), with a 33.5% frequency of CMDs. CMDs were higher among prison officers with a worse perception of working conditions (PR: 1.13; 95%CI%: 1.03-1.24), who suffered insults (PR: 1.18; 95%CI: 1.08-1.29), psychological harassment (PR: 1.23; 95%CI: 1.11-1.36) and sexual harassment (PR: 1.20; 95%CI: 1.03-1.40) in the last 12 months. CMDs were associated with work-related variables, such as worse environmental conditions within the prison and psychological and sexual violence.

Condições de trabalho e transtornos mentais comuns em agentes penitenciários do interior do estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Resumo A profissão de agente de segurança penitenciária (ASP) se caracteriza pelo trabalho em situações de perigo, o que pode desencadear prejuízos à sua saúde mental. O objetivo desta investigação foi analisar as condições de trabalho associadas aos transtornos mentais comuns (TMC) em ASP. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, realizado com ASP de quatro unidades prisionais do interior do estado de São Paulo, de janeiro a agosto de 2019. Para mensurar a presença de TMC, utilizou-se o instrumento Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). A associação entre as variáveis foi verificada por meio de regressão de Poisson com variância robusta, ajustada por fatores de confusão para a estimação da razão de prevalência (RP) e intervalo de confiança (IC) de 95%. A população de análise foi constituída por 331 ASP, com frequência de TMC de 33,5%. A presença de TMC foi mais elevada entre os ASP com pior percepção sobre as condições de trabalho (RP: 1,13; IC95%: 1,03-1,24), que sofreram insultos (RP: 1,18; IC95%: 1,08-1,29), assédio moral (RP: 1,23; IC95%: 1,11-1,36) e assédio sexual (RP: 1,20; IC95%: 1,03-1,40), nos últimos 12 meses. O TMC apresentou associação com variáveis relacionadas ao trabalho, tais como piores condições do ambiente no interior do cárcere e ocorrência de violências psicológica e sexual.

Associated Factors of Quality of Life in Prison Officers, Brazil

This study analyzed factors associated with the quality of life (QoL) of prison officers (POs) in the Midwest Region of Brazil. POs in five penitentiary units participated in this cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic data were obtained through face to face interview and a World Health Organization Quality of Life abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire was applied to assess QoL. Student's t-test or ANOVA were used for bivariate analysis and multiple linear regression was applied for adjusted analysis. The domains used for outcomes were: physical, psychological, social relations, and the environment. The lowest score among WHOQOL-BREF domains was environment (59.9; 95%CI 58.0-61.5). After adjustment, the factors associated with the physical domain were 'female sex' and 'no history of workplace PO-PO violence'; factors associated with the psychological domain were 'female sex', 'without spouse', and 'no history of inmate-PO violence'; factors associated with the social relationships domain were 'female sex', 'work experience in years', 'no higher education', 'no private health insurance', and 'no history of inmate-PO violence'; and factors associated with environment domain were 'female sex', 'work experience in years', 'no private health insurance', and 'no history of PO-PO violence'. This study showed that female workers and those with a history of violence at work had worse QoL scores. This investigation highlights the importance of prison management in promoting QoL of POs, as well as support and development of strategies to prevent workplace violence.

Prevalence of hypertension and associated factors in female prison correctional officers in a national sample in Brazil

OBJECTIVES

To estimate hypertension prevalence and associated factors among female correctional officers (FCO) in female Brazilian prisons.

METHODS

Cross-sectional, analytical study conducted in 15 female prisons in all five Brazilian regions between January 2014 and December 2015. The study population consisted of correctional officers with at least 6 months in the position. The sampling included 40% of FCO present in the prison during data collection, yielding 295 FCOs. Data were collected via Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview. A physical examination of participants was conducted including blood pressure, weight, and waist and hip circumference. The Odds Ratio and confidence intervals for independent factors were estimated.

RESULTS

Hypertension prevalence in correctional officers was 37.9%, (95% CI 32.1-44.0). Hypertension was associated with obesity (95% CI = 1.884-9.947), cardiovascular disease (95% CI = 3.348-16.724), and participation in the specific training course for the relevant position (95% CI = 1.413-9.564).

CONCLUSIONS

While findings, except for the last factor, are not novel, this is the first such study conducted in Brazil. Hypertension prevalence among this pool of all female correctional officers is higher than in the average population, and FCOs associate this with the prison environment. Current training does not appear to address this problem. Especially since prison populations are growing in Brazil, this problem needs to be addressed for the health of the FCOs and the prisoners in their care.

Manifestações de violência institucional no contexto da atenção em saúde às mulheres em situação de violência sexual

Resumo O estudo analisou as manifestações de violência institucional na atenção em saúde às mulheres em situação de violência sexual. Pesquisa qualitativa baseada em entrevistas semiestruturas com 68 profissionais e 15 gestores atuantes em nove serviços da rede municipal de saúde em Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil. A análise foi organizada em quatro temáticas: invisibilidade da violência sexual; violência no acolhimento à mulher; limitações estruturais, de medicamentos e de insumos; e atuação frente ao aborto legal. Os resultados revelaram o não reconhecimento da violência sexual como objeto de intervenção no setor saúde e um acolhimento à mulher marcado por omissões, falta de privacidade e atitudes discriminatórias. As condições estruturais e a escassez de medicamentos e insumos foram colocadas como limitantes para o atendimento. O aborto legal envolveu conflitos culturais, gerenciais e institucionais que favoreceram a violação de direitos. Conclui-se que a violência institucional no contexto da atenção às mulheres em situação de violência sexual extrapola questões de ordem subjetiva e de formação dos profissionais de saúde. E a oferta de uma atenção integral capaz de transpor a violência institucional requer que a gestão repense a configuração dos serviços da rede de atendimento e esteja próxima dos atores envolvidos.