Consequences of Split Shift Work in Indian Traff ic Police Personnel: DaytimeSleepiness, Stressorsand Psychological Distress

Abstract

The present study was aimed to measure the daily routine preference, daytime sleepiness, and psychological distress experiences, because of split shift system job in a sample in traff ic police personnel of Raipur city, India. To measure such parameters we used the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Operational Police Stress Questionnaire (OPSQ), General Health Questionnaire and the Distress. To evaluate differences between age, body mass index, period of service length and drug / alcohol use for all the subjects (traff ic police personnel) the t-test and chi-square test were used. Total Hundred male traff ic police personnel participated and out of which most of them were found to belong in the evening active category. This study also indicates increased prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness and (EDS) high level of psychological distress as measured by the GHQ-12 among few police workers. Moreover, a number of participants reported signif icant distress levels, when measured with distress thermometer. In nutshell, the study sample suggests adaptive coping strategies of traff ic police personnel working in split shift system profession can be attributed to theirevening (E)-type circadian preferences. AbstractIntroduction: