Determinants of Occupational Stress among Non-Gazetted CRPF Jawans - A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Purpose: All occupations are associated with stress, but defence service is significantly more stressful than others. However, there are very few studies focusing on occupational stress in the defence force in the existing literature. The present study aims to assess the prevalence of occupational stress among Non-Gazetted Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Jawans and identify the factors influencing it.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the 148^th battalion of CRPF in India, including 353 Non-Gazetted Officers as participants. The study utilized a questionnaire containing the occupational stress scale developed by Srivastava and Singh in 1984. Descriptive statistics, Chi square, and logistic regression were employed to achieve the study objectives.

Results: The study found that nearly three-fourths of the Non-Gazetted Officers experienced moderate occupational stress, while approximately 2% of officers reported high occupational stress. Factors significantly associated with stress included age at marriage, physical separation from family, insufficient time for family, involvement in hazardous activities, and additional sources of family income.

Conclusion: The study successfully met its objective of assessing the prevalence of occupational stress among Non-Gazetted CRPF Jawans and identifying the factors influencing it. These results underscore the necessity for family support programs and organizational-level interventions, such as regular counseling, improved recreational facilities, and adequate rest, to help officers alleviate stress effectively.