Police Officers Sustainable Health (POSH)

The research group Police Officers Sustainable Health (POSH) works interdisciplinary by longitudinally examining the physical ability and health of police officers and police students, both physical and mental over time. This is to be able to identify and define factors that contribute to increased sustainability within the profession.

Our research

The police constitute an important societal function and police work includes high demands, both physically and mentally. Good physical and mental capacity is therefore an important factor, especially when the individual must cope with physical and mental stress daily. An unhealthy lifestyle (impaired sleep and unhealthy eating habits) has also been shown to be prominent among police officers.

The research group Police Officers Sustainable Health's goal is to contribute knowledge concerning:

  • How do police's physical and mental health change over time, what factors affect police officers' health and how are these factors related to police work practice?
  • How is health-related physical fitness among police officers related to overall health and can health-related physical fitness be a protective factor against work induced ill-health?
  • How does gender influence work related relations and police ability?

The main subject of the research in the group is sport science. The research is done in a collaboration between the Department of Sport Science and the Department of Criminology and Police Work, both at the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Projects

Publications

Staff

Staff at Malmö University, sport science

  • Alexander Jansson
  • Jenny Vikman
  • Sandra Krugly