Determinants of Wellness Program Utilization Among Law Enforcement Personnel: A Focus on Psychological and Physical Health

• NCJ Number: 309679
• Journal: Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology Dated: July 2024
• Author(s): Daniel S. Lawrence; Jessica Dockstader
• Date Published: July 2024
• Agencies: BJA-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)

Annotation

This paper reports on research that studied different groupings of law enforcement personnel based on their psychological and physical health, and how those factors influence participation in wellness programs; it presents the study methodology and findings; and highlights the need for targeted interventions that address the wellness concerns of law enforcement personnel, despite their comparable participation rates in certain programs.

Abstract

Previous studies have identified distinct groupings of law enforcement personnel based on their psychological and physical health, but further investigation is needed to understand how these factors influence participation in wellness programs. Survey data from 1216 sworn and civilian personnel across nine law enforcement agencies were analyzed using latent class analysis and logistic regression. Three distinct groups emerged: the healthiest (47 percent of the sample), those with moderate health (38 percent), and those with the most severe health challenges (15 percent). Participation in wellness programs were examined for counseling, mental health, physical health, mentorship, family, and other types of programs. While participation in physical health and other types of wellness programs were similar across all groups, differences were identified in the others. Notably, mental health and mentorship program participation levels for individuals with the most severe health challenges were found to be comparable to those with the best health metrics and never emerged as the leading group in any of the program usage categories. This highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to address the profound wellness concerns of this group, despite their comparable participation rates in certain programs. (Published Abstract Provided)