Quality of life and prevalence of burnout among military police officers in southern Brazil: a cross-sectional study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15343/0104-7809.202549e17192025IKeywords:
Quality of Life, Burnout Syndrome, Police, Military Personnel, Occupational HealthAbstract
The work performed by military police officers involves risks that negatively affect their quality of life and mental health. This study assessed the quality of life and the prevalence of Burnout Syndrome among military police officers, as well as the correlations between these variables. This is a cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study conducted with 267 officers from the 3rd Military Police Battalion of Paraná (3º BPM/PR). The instruments used were the WHOQOL-BREF and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Burnout Syndrome was identified in 33.7% of the officers, with 28.8% presenting a high level and 4.9% a moderate level. The lowest mean quality-of-life score was observed in the Environment domain (score: 58.7), while the highest were in the Psychological (score: 68.8) and Physical (score: 67.6) domains. A moderate and negative correlation was found between Emotional Exhaustion and the Physical (r = -0.552; p < 0.001) and Psychological (r = -0.557; p < 0.001) domains, and a positive correlation between Personal Accomplishment and the Psychological domain (r = 0.452; p < 0.001). Officers without Burnout exhibited significantly higher quality-of-life scores across all domains (p < 0.001). The findings indicate a negative association between Burnout and quality of life, particularly in the physical and environmental domains. The implementation of mental health programs and improvements in working conditions are recommended as priority strategies to promote the well-being of these professionals.
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This article is a translation in English of the article:
Qualidade de vida e prevalência de burnout entre policiais militares no Sul do Brasil: um estudo transversal
References
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Correia I, Romão Â, Almeida AE, Ramos S. Protecting police officers against burnout: overcoming a fragmented research field. J Police Crim Psychol [Internet]. 2023 [access on 2025 Oct 20]; 38(3):622-638. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-023-09584-4
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Robayo-Tamayo M. Relação entre a Síndrome de Burnout e os valores organizacionais no pessoal de enfermagem de dois hospitais públicos. Brasília: Instituto de Psicologia da Universidade de Brasília, 1997. Dissertação de Mestrado em Psicologia.
Campos ICM, Pereira SS, Schiavon ICA, Alves M. Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS): revisão integrativa de sua utilização em pesquisas brasileiras. Arq. Ciênc. Saúde Unipar [Internet]. 2020 [acessado em 12 de dezembro de 2024]; 24(3):187-195. Disponível em: https:// revistas.unipar.br/index.php/saude/article/view/7875
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Moreno AF, Karanika-Murray M, Batista P, Hill R, Vilalta SR, Oliveira-Silva P. Resilience Training Programs with Police Forces: A Systematic Review. J Police Crim Psych [Internet]. 2024 [access on 2025 Oct 20]; 39:227–252. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-023-09633-y
Ribeiro BM dos SS, Silva LA da, Scorsolini-Comin F, Robazzi ML do CC, Santos SVM dos, Terra F de S, et al. Factors associated with burnout in military police officers in a city in Paraná. Rev Bras Enferm [Internet]. 2024 [access on 2025 Jan 25]; 77(4):e20230510. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov/39258611/
Santos Chaves MSR, Shimizu IS. Burnout syndrome and sleep quality among military police officers in Piaui. Rev Bras Med Trab [Internet]. 2020 [access on 2025 Oct 24]; 16(4):436-441. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5327/Z1679443520180286
Bezie AE, Getachew Yenealem D, Asega Belay A, Bitew Abie A, Abebaw T, Melaku C, et al. Prevalence of work-related burnout and associated factors among police officers in central Gondar zone, Northwest Ethiopia, 2023. Front. Public Health [Internet]. 2024 [access on 2025 Oct 24]; 12:1355625. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1355625
Gómez-Galán J, Lázaro-Pérez C, Martínez-López JÁ, Fernández-Martínez MDM. Burnout in Spanish Security Forces during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health [Internet]. 2020 [access on 2025 Oct 20]; 26;17(23):8790. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238790
Torres-Vences IN, Pérez-Campos Mayoral E, Mayoral M, Pérez-Campos EL, Martínez-Cruz M, Torres-Bravo I, Alpuche J. Burnout Syndrome and Related Factors in Mexican Police Workforces. Int J Environ Res Public Health [Internet]. 2022 [access on 2025 Oct 24]; 19(9):5537. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095537
Torres-Vences IN. Síndrome de Burnout en policías latinoamericanos: revisión. Tequio [Internet]. 2020 [access on 2025 Oct 24]; 4(10):56-61. Available from: https://doi.org/10.53331/teq.v4i10.8625
Queirós C, Passos F, Bártolo A, Marques AJ, da Silva CF, Pereira A. Burnout and Stress Measurement in Police Officers: Literature Review and a Study With the Operational Police Stress Questionnaire. Front Psychol. [Internet]. 2020 [access on 2025 Oct 24]; 11:587. Available from: https://doi. org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00587
Brasil. Ministério da Saúde. Portaria nº 1.823, de 23 de agosto de 2012. Institui a Política Nacional de Saúde do Trabalhador e da Trabalhadora [Internet]. Brasília: Ministério da Saúde; 2012 [acessado em 27 de outubro de 2025]. Disponível em: http://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/saudelegis/gm/2012/ prt1823_23_08_2012.html
Arroyo TR, Borges MA, Lourenção LG. Saúde e qualidade de vida de policiais militares. Rev Bras Promoç Saúde [Internet]. 2019 [acessado em 12 de dezembro de 2024]; 32:7738. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.5020/18061230.2019.7738
Carvalho LOR de, Porto R de M, Sousa MNA de. Sofrimento psíquico, fatores precipitantes e dificuldades no enfrentamento da síndrome de Burnout em policiais militares. Braz. J. Hea. Rev. [Internet]. 2020 [acessado em 12 de dezembro de 2024]; 3(5):15202-14. Disponível em: https://ojs.brazilianjournals. com.br/ojs/index.php/BJHR/article/view/18754
Ruidiaz-Gómez KS, Cacante-Caballero JV. Desarrollo histórico del concepto Calidad de Vida: una revisión de la literatura. Rev. cienc. cuidad. [Internet]. 2021 [consultado el 26 de enero del 2025]; 18(3):86-99. Disponible en: https://revistas.ufps.edu.co/index.php/cienciaycuidado/article/view/2539
Santos FB dos, Lourenção LG, Vieira E, Ximenes Neto FRG, Oliveira AMN de, Oliveira JF de, et al. Occupational stress and work engagement among military police officers. Ciênc saúde coletiva [Internet]. 2021 [access on 2024 Dec 12]; 26(12):5987–96. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1590/1413- 812320212612.14782021
Ribeiro BM dos SS, Scorsolini-Comin F, Terra F de S, Dalri R de C de MB. Síndrome de burnout em policiais militares à luz do referencial interpretativo. Rev Recien [Internet]. 2023 [acessado em 12 de dezembro de 2024]; 13(41):532-539. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.24276/rrecien2023.13.41.532-539
Flores de Oliveira J, Lourenção LG, Braga dos Santos F, Roberto Arroyo T, Vieira E, Andrade Borges M. Association between burnout and quality of life in military police officers from two Brazilian corporations. Rev Epidemiol Control Infect [Internet]. 2024 [access on 2025 Jan 6]; 14(2):342-349. Available from: https://online.unisc.br/seer/index.php/epidemiologia/article/view/19033
Ribeiro BMDSS, Scorsolini-Comin F, Robazzi MLDCC, dos Santos SVM, Terra FDS, Dalri RDCDMB. Factors associated with Burnout Syndrome in police officers: a scoping review. Rev Bras Enferm. [Internet]. 2024 [access on 2025 Oct 20]; 77(2):e20230444. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1590/0034- 7167-2023-0444
Moreira TSV. O impacto do estresse ocupacional e Síndrome de Burnout entre militares do Exército Brasileiro. RCEsSEx [Internet]. 2019 [acessado em 3 de janeiro de 2025]; 2(3):29-5. Disponível em: https://ebrevistas.eb.mil.br/RCEsSEx/article/view/3208
Wahyuni OS, Dewi FIR. Burnout riot police officers: emotional regulation and five trait personality as predictor. Psikodimensia: kajian ilm. psikol. [Internet]. 2020 [access on 2025 Oct 20]; 19(2):206. Available from: https://doi.org/10.24167/psidim.v19i2.2856
Syed S, Ashwick R, Schlosser M, Jones R, Rowe S, Billings J. (2020). Global prevalence and risk factors for mental health problems in police personnel: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Occup Environ Med. [Internet]. 2020 [access on 2025 Oct 20]; 77(11):737-747. Available from: https://doi. org/10.1136/oemed-2020-106498
Xu Y, Zhang Q, Tuo X, Tan X, Chen X. Prevalence of job burnout and associated factors among police officers during the covid-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study. Crim. Justice Behav. [Internet]. 2025 [access on 2025 Oct 20]; 52(4):611-627. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251313968
Correia I, Romão Â, Almeida AE, Ramos S. Protecting police officers against burnout: overcoming a fragmented research field. J Police Crim Psychol [Internet]. 2023 [access on 2025 Oct 20]; 38(3):622-638. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-023-09584-4
Faul F, Erdfelder E, Buchner A, Lang A-G. (2009). Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behav. Res. Methods [Internet]. 2023 [access on 2025 Oct 20]; 41(4):1149–1160. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.41.4.1149
Fleck MP, Louzada S, Xavier M, Chachamovich E, Vieira G, Santos L, et al. Application of the Portuguese version of the abbreviated instrument of quality life WHOQOL-bref. Rev. saúde pública [Internet]. 2000 [access on 2024 Dec 12]; 34(2):178-183. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034- 89102000000200012
Cordioli Junior JR, Cordioli DFC, Gazetta CE, Silva AG da, Lourenção LG. Quality of life and osteomuscular symptoms in workers of primary health care. Rev Bras Enferm [Internet]. 2020 [access on 2024 Dec 12]; 73(5):e20190054. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2019-0054
Robayo-Tamayo M. Relação entre a Síndrome de Burnout e os valores organizacionais no pessoal de enfermagem de dois hospitais públicos. Brasília: Instituto de Psicologia da Universidade de Brasília, 1997. Dissertação de Mestrado em Psicologia.
Campos ICM, Pereira SS, Schiavon ICA, Alves M. Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS): revisão integrativa de sua utilização em pesquisas brasileiras. Arq. Ciênc. Saúde Unipar [Internet]. 2020 [acessado em 12 de dezembro de 2024]; 24(3):187-195. Disponível em: https:// revistas.unipar.br/index.php/saude/article/view/7875
Lopes C da S, Ribeiro EA, Souza MA de. Policiamento e gênero: percepções entre policiais militares paranaenses. Opin Publica [Internet]. 2021 [acessado em 12 de dezembro de 2024]; 27(1):298–322. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-01912021271298
Ribeiro L. Polícia Militar é lugar de mulher?. Rev. Estud. Fem. [Internet]. 2018 [acessado em 12 de dezembro de 2024]; 26(1):1-15. Disponível em: https://www.jstor.org/stable/90018797
Costa FG da, Vieira LS, Cócaro MG, Azzolin K de O, Dal Pai D, Tavares JP. Quality of life, health conditions and life style of civil police officers. Rev Gaúcha Enferm [Internet]. 2020 [access on 2025 Jan 25]; 41:e20190124. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-1447.2020.20190124
Moreno AF, Karanika-Murray M, Batista P, Hill R, Vilalta SR, Oliveira-Silva P. Resilience Training Programs with Police Forces: A Systematic Review. J Police Crim Psych [Internet]. 2024 [access on 2025 Oct 20]; 39:227–252. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-023-09633-y
Ribeiro BM dos SS, Silva LA da, Scorsolini-Comin F, Robazzi ML do CC, Santos SVM dos, Terra F de S, et al. Factors associated with burnout in military police officers in a city in Paraná. Rev Bras Enferm [Internet]. 2024 [access on 2025 Jan 25]; 77(4):e20230510. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov/39258611/
Santos Chaves MSR, Shimizu IS. Burnout syndrome and sleep quality among military police officers in Piaui. Rev Bras Med Trab [Internet]. 2020 [access on 2025 Oct 24]; 16(4):436-441. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5327/Z1679443520180286
Bezie AE, Getachew Yenealem D, Asega Belay A, Bitew Abie A, Abebaw T, Melaku C, et al. Prevalence of work-related burnout and associated factors among police officers in central Gondar zone, Northwest Ethiopia, 2023. Front. Public Health [Internet]. 2024 [access on 2025 Oct 24]; 12:1355625. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1355625
Gómez-Galán J, Lázaro-Pérez C, Martínez-López JÁ, Fernández-Martínez MDM. Burnout in Spanish Security Forces during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health [Internet]. 2020 [access on 2025 Oct 20]; 26;17(23):8790. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238790
Torres-Vences IN, Pérez-Campos Mayoral E, Mayoral M, Pérez-Campos EL, Martínez-Cruz M, Torres-Bravo I, Alpuche J. Burnout Syndrome and Related Factors in Mexican Police Workforces. Int J Environ Res Public Health [Internet]. 2022 [access on 2025 Oct 24]; 19(9):5537. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095537
Torres-Vences IN. Síndrome de Burnout en policías latinoamericanos: revisión. Tequio [Internet]. 2020 [access on 2025 Oct 24]; 4(10):56-61. Available from: https://doi.org/10.53331/teq.v4i10.8625
Queirós C, Passos F, Bártolo A, Marques AJ, da Silva CF, Pereira A. Burnout and Stress Measurement in Police Officers: Literature Review and a Study With the Operational Police Stress Questionnaire. Front Psychol. [Internet]. 2020 [access on 2025 Oct 24]; 11:587. Available from: https://doi. org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00587
Brasil. Ministério da Saúde. Portaria nº 1.823, de 23 de agosto de 2012. Institui a Política Nacional de Saúde do Trabalhador e da Trabalhadora [Internet]. Brasília: Ministério da Saúde; 2012 [acessado em 27 de outubro de 2025]. Disponível em: http://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/saudelegis/gm/2012/ prt1823_23_08_2012.html
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2025-11-25
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Vieira, E., Lourenção, L. G., Santos, F. B. dos, Sasaki, N. S. G. M. dos S., & Arroyo, T. R. (2025). Quality of life and prevalence of burnout among military police officers in southern Brazil: a cross-sectional study. O Mundo Da Saúde, 49. https://doi.org/10.15343/0104-7809.202549e17192025I
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