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Prevalence and associated factors of depressive symptoms among Chinese male correctional officers

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Abstract

Objectives

Chinese correctional officers (COs) consist of frontline COs in direct contact with the prisoners and non-frontline COs (including administrative staff and professionals). Male COs compose the majority of Chinese COs, especially for frontline COs. Although they are quite susceptible to depressive symptoms due to highly risky and stressful working environment, few studies focus on this issue. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of depressive symptoms and to explore its associated factors among Chinese male frontline and non-frontline COs.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was performed during the period of March/April 2011. The study population comprised of 1,900 male COs in four male prisons in a province of northeast China. A questionnaire including the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, demographic factors, work conditions, effort–reward imbalance questionnaire was distributed to these COs. A total of 1,494 effective respondents became our subjects (981 frontline COs and 513 non-frontline COs). Frontline and non-frontline COs were analyzed separately.

Results

Approximately 61.4 % of Chinese male COs had depressive symptoms (63.5 % in frontline COs and 57.3 % in non-frontline COs). Multivariate logistic analyses showed that effort–reward ratio, overcommitment, chronic disease, and threat perception were associated with depressive symptoms in frontline and non-frontline COs, whereas weekly work time had an effect only in frontline COs.

Conclusions

Chinese male COs, especially frontline COs, might have high-level prevalence of depressive symptoms. Moreover, this study had identified important risk factors that might be important in planning strategies for prevention and intervention of depressive symptoms for Chinese male COs.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the administrators in all selected prisons who helped to get the written informed consent about the conduct of this survey and to distribute the questionnaires to the subjects.

Conflict of interest

The author(s) declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No. 92 Beier Road, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China

    Guo-Yuan Sui, Yang Wang, Li Liu, Xiao-Shi Yang & Lie Wang

  2. Department of Basic Law, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, No. 92 Beier Road, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China

    Shu Hu

  3. Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No. 92 Beier Road, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Sun

Authors
  1. Guo-Yuan Sui
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  2. Shu Hu
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  3. Wei Sun
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  4. Yang Wang
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  5. Li Liu
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  6. Xiao-Shi Yang
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  7. Lie Wang
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Correspondence to Lie Wang.

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Sui, GY., Hu, S., Sun, W. et al. Prevalence and associated factors of depressive symptoms among Chinese male correctional officers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 87, 387–395 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-013-0877-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-013-0877-6

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