Abstract

This thesis explores the health of the police officer in relation to the police profession. Police work continues to be regarded as one of the most stressful occupations; and as a major consequence, job stress may be partially responsible for the degree of self-construction or self-destruction of the body. A comparative analysis of two samples of Canadian police officers were examined, focusing on the differential production of the body relative to the role of occupational stress and lifestyle (i.e. nutrition, fitness, substance use, burnout, psychosomatic symptoms and suicide). The major findings are: police work is regarded as mostly stressful; and the most significant stressors are problems with the public, courts, administration and shiftwork. Officers who evaluate their work as more stressful tend to experience more psychosomatic symptoms (e.g. digestive and lower back problems; unsatisfying sleep). These findings are particularly significant when controlling for lifestyle habits (i.e. eating at fast food restaurants; eating meals from the five food groups; walking/jogging one mile per day; and being injured on the job).