NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

Life expectancy in police officers: a comparison with the U.S. general population.

Authors
Violanti JM; Fekedulegn D; Hartley TA; Andrew ME; Gu JK; Burchfiel CM
Source
Int J Emerg Mental Health Hum Resil 2013 Oct-Dec; 15(4):217-228
NIOSHTIC No.
20044842
Abstract
Previous epidemiological research indicates that police officers have an elevated risk of death relative to the general population overall and for several specific causes. Despite the increased risk for mortality found in previous research, controversy still exists over the life expectancy of police officers. The goal of the present study was to compare life expectancy of male police officers from Buffalo New York with the U.S. general male population utilizing an abridged life table method. On average, the life expectancy of Buffalo police officers in our sample was significantly lower than the U.S. population (mean difference in life expectancy =21.9 years; 95% CI: 14.5-29.3; p<0.0001). Life expectancy of police officers was shorter and differences were more pronounced in younger age categories. Additionally, police officers had a significantly higher average probability of death than did males in the general population (mean difference= 0.40; 95% CI: 0.26,-0.54; p<0.0001). The years of potential life lost (YPLL) for police officers was 21 times larger than that of the general population (Buffalo male officers vs. U.S. males = 21.7, 95% CI: 5.8-37.7). Possible reasons for shorter life expectancy among police are discussed, including stress, shift work, obesity, and hazardous environmental work exposures.
Keywords
Law-enforcement; Law-enforcement-workers; Police-officers; Emergency-responders; Humans; Men; Demographic-characteristics; Statistical-analysis; Epidemiology; Mortality-data; Mortality-rates; Mortality-surveys; Mental-stress; Psychological-stress; Weight-factors; Shift-work; Shift-workers; Author Keywords: Police; mortality; life expectancy; years of potential life lost
Contact
John M. Violanti, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
Publication Date
20131001
Document Type
Journal Article
Email Address
violanti@buffalo.edu
Funding Type
Grant
Fiscal Year
2014
Identifying No.
Grant-Number-R01-OH-009640
Issue of Publication
4
ISSN
1522-4821
NIOSH Division
HELD
Priority Area
Public Safety
Source Name
International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience
State
WV; NY
Performing Organization
State University of New York at Buffalo
Page last reviewed: May 11, 2023
Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Education and Information Division