PREVALENCE OF OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AMONG POLICE OFFICERS IN LANG’ATA CONSTITUENCY, NAIROBI, KENYA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEPC.1162043Keywords:
General Health, Feeling Good about Self, Occupational Stress, Police OfficersAbstract
Occupational stress is a psychological and physiological condition that manifests when an individual’s coping resources are inadequate to meet the demands and pressures of their work. This study sought to examine the prevalence of occupational stress among police officers in Lang’ata Constituency, Nairobi County, Kenya. A structured questionnaire was used to gather data from a sample size of 126 police officers drawn from a cluster sampling technique. Data was analysed in SPSS using both descriptive statistics and inferential techniques. The findings revealed that occupational stress was widespread among police officers. Analysis of socio-demographic characteristics in relation to indicators of occupational stress – namely general health and self-perception – showed notable variations across groups. Married and single officers reported poorer self-evaluation compared to those who were separated, divorced, or widowed, while female officers and younger officers exhibited poorer general health outcomes associated with occupational stress when compared to their male and older counterparts. These results indicate that married and single officers, female officers, and younger officers are particularly vulnerable to occupational stress. The study therefore recommends the establishment of structured stress management programs within the police service, with targeted interventions focusing initially on the most vulnerable socio-demographic groups, particularly young and female police officers.
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