Knowledge and Training Regarding the Link Between Trauma and Health

Abstract

Research regarding what police officers currently know (or want to know) about the impact of trauma exposure on mental and physical health is rare. Given that police training and educational practices differ based on country or territory, studies using standardized surveys to discover police officer’s preferences or openness to learning further information about the relationship between stress and health are not available. The goal of this study was to develop a survey to answer the following questions: (a) What do police officers know about stress, trauma, and health? (b) Are police officers interested in attaining more knowledge (and in what ways) about stress, trauma, and health? (c) Are police officers open to seeking help for trauma and/or stress-related issues, and if so, where do they prefer to seek help? The survey was fielded to all of the officers serving in the National Police Service in Finland during the spring and summer of 2014. Results suggest that officers were generally aware of the impact of police work on physical health problems (e.g., sleep disorders, heart-related issues) but had not received formal training about how trauma is related to mental and physical health or personal health risks. Officers were open to learning about both traditional (e.g., peer support) and alternative therapeutic techniques (e.g., relaxation), and many reported willingness to enroll in such programs if offered by the organization. Implications include incorporating evidence-based information regarding the trauma-health link into standard police curricula and providing officers with organizationally supported clinical and peer supports and therapeutic opportunities.