Job stress and health profiles of smokers, ex‐smokers and non‐smokers

Abstract

AbstractThis article provides an empirical perspective on the relationship between work stress and job satisfaction for physical well‐being in a senior police population when physical factors such as smoking are considered. The subjects were 533 superintending police officers, predominantly male ( > 97 per cent), from Great Britain. Forty‐two per cent of senior police officers were non‐smokers (N = 220) and an almost equal proportion, 40 per cent (N = 209), were ex‐smokers, the remaining 18 per cent (N = 93) being regular smokers (12 per cent smoking in excess of 10 cigarettes per day). The Occupational Stress Indicator was used as the measure of overall stress levels and its components. Mean scores of smokers, ex‐smokers and non‐smokers on the OSI were compared using univariate F‐tests and discriminant function analysis. Smokers per se were inclined to exhibit higher job stress scores than either ex‐smokers or non‐smokers and report the worst physical health scores. The non‐smokers yielded the greatest level of work satisfaction and psychological well‐being in contrast to the ex‐smokers, who were most distressed psychologically and least satisfied with their work. Group profiles were not statistically different from each other with the exception of the physical health and one ‘coping’ subscale. Job‐related pressure was predictive of lack of job satisfaction (F)1,432) = 40.09, p < 0.001) and both physical and mental ill‐health F(4,461) = 41.05, p < 0.001 and F(4,454) = 69.76, p < 0.001 respectively) across the groups of non‐smokers, ex‐smokers and the three smoking groups. There was no evidence of a direct relationship between smoking behaviour and job satisfaction, physical and mental health. A comparison showed the average number of days off from work to be lowest for non‐smokers (M 2.37, SD 8.25) followed by ex‐smokers (M 3.4, SD 15.91) and then smokers (M 4.94, SD 17.33). The variance of these groups increased but the mean differences did not reach statistical significance (F(2,519) = 1.24, p > 0.05). The results of this study argue for tentative links between stress, smoking, absenteeism and other health factors in this senior police occupational sample. They also lend support for the utility of a generalized measure of stress components in medical and occupational settings.