Study looks at police officers, head injuries and mental health issues

Columbus, OH — Three out of 10 law enforcement officers have experienced a work-related head injury, putting them at risk of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, according to a recent study.

After surveying 381 law enforcement officers in Ohio, researchers at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that 74% of them also had sustained at least one head injury or concussion in their lifetime. Many more of these injuries went unreported than were treated by a health care professional, an OSU press release states.

The researchers note that PTSD and depressive symptoms were more common among the officers with a history of head injury, “suggesting they need better resources” related to traumatic brain injury and mental health support.

“This is an area where we have to improve awareness, just like we did in the sport concussion world,” lead study author Jaclyn Caccese, an assistant professor in OSU’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Science, said in the release. “The goal is really to improve officer safety and health in the long term. And I think there’s a lot of potential there.”

In Caccese’s view, raising awareness can help overcome the obstacles of treating head injuries in the moment while improving law enforcement workers’ career longevity and health outcomes.

“I think with that awareness,” she added, “they will be more likely to report injuries as they sustain them.”

The researchers further suggest that concussion management strategies, such as a graduated return to duty protocol for officers who experience head injuries, can protect from subsequent injury and adverse long-term health outcomes.

The study was published online in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation.