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Defining Stress Among Oregon Corrections Professionals, Jessica T. Ballin

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Corrections professionals experience some of the highest levels of chronic stress compared to other occupations. This leads to poor mental and physical health, increased mortality, negative job performance, and increased economic costs, such as work-related injuries, sick leave, worker’s compensation claims and disability. Improving health and safety among this occupation requires identifying the factors contributing to stress and the associated economic impact. We assessed corrections professionals (n=296) working at six different Oregon Department of Corrections facilities near the Portland-area of varying security levels. Participants completed a cross-sectional survey, including demographics, work history and validated stress and occupational constructs. The outcome …