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HomeEditor's PickFor prison employees, its on par to being in a war zone

For prison employees, its on par to being in a war zone

PrisonPrison employees experience Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on par with Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and higher than police officers, a small study from a Washington State University found.

Working conditions in a prison can include regular exposure to violence and trauma, and threats of harm to the workers and their families. Previous studies have shown that prison workers have some of the highest rates of mental illness, sleep disorders and physical health issues of all US workers. But the rate of PTSD among prison workers isn't well understood.

The study was conducted by lead investigator Dr Lois James, assistant professor at the WSU College of Nursing, and co-investigator Dr Natalie Todak, assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "Prison employees can face some of the toughest working conditions of US workers," said James, "yet limited evidence exists on the specific risk and protective factors to inform targeted interventions."

Among the study's findings: prison employees work under an almost constant state of threat to their personal safety, and about a quarter of them routinely experience serious threats to themselves or their families; almost half have witnessed co-workers being seriously injured by inmates; more than half have seen an inmate die or have encountered an inmate who recently died; the vast majority have dealt with inmates who were recently beaten and/or sexually assaulted; PTSD rates were higher among women, black employees, and employees with more than 10 years of experience; and PTSD scores, using criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, didn't differ based on where the employee worked, such as a minimum versus maximum security facility.

James and Todak note that the research included a small sample of 355 employees of one labour union at the Washington State Department of Corrections, and recommended further study of the issue.

Still, they said their findings suggest the corrections profession could benefit from specific training to promote resilience. They also said issues common to nearly every workplace also can protect prison employees from PTSD, such as having good relationships with supervisors and co-workers, and liking their work assignments.

Abstract
Objectives: To examine the prevalence of Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in a sample of prison employees, investigate risk factors, and explore protective factors for PTSD.
Methods: We surveyed 355 Washington State Department of Corrections employees. The survey included the PTSD checklist for the DSM‐5 (PCL‐5), the Critical Incident History Questionnaire, and the Work Environment Inventory.
Results: We found 19% of the sample met the criteria for diagnosable PTSD. Several risk factors were associated with a higher PCL‐5 score, including exposure to critical incidents, and having greater ambiguity in the job role. Being happy with job assignments and having positive relationships with supervisors and coworkers were associated with decreased PCL‐5 score.
Conclusions: Prison employees have a PTSD rate equivalent to Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and higher than police officers, suggesting the importance of developing programs for promoting resilience to stress, incorporating the knowledge gained on risk, and protective factors.

Authors
Lois James, Natalie Todak

[link url="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180716091509.htm"]Washington State University material[/link]
[link url="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ajim.22869"]American Journal of Industrial Medicine abstract[/link]

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