Women cops of Delhi Police report higher stress than men, study finds

New Delhi, Oct 8 (PTI) Sleepless nights, endless shifts and the constant juggle between professional and personal life -- a new study has found that women personnel in the Delhi Police experience higher levels of occupational stress than their male counterparts, with nearly all of them reporting moderate to high levels of job-related strain.

The cross-sectional research, titled 'A Study on the Prevalence of Occupational Stress Among Police Personnel in Delhi', was conducted by researchers from Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and the University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS) and published in the journal Cureus this year.

Female officers, who made up close to 18 per cent of the 374 participants, were found to be more stressed overall.

Almost 97 per cent of them reported operational stress, compared to 90 per cent of the men questioned in the study, it added.

Similarly, 56 per cent of women experienced organisational stress, slightly higher than 54 per cent of their male colleagues.

While male officers said shortage of staff was their top source of stress, women reported that paperwork and administrative duties were particularly overwhelming, often describing it as "mentally draining", adding that routine office work often left them with little time for field responsibilities, it said.

The researchers said this difference could be due to the dual expectations placed on women, balancing their duties as police officers with family responsibilities, often without adequate institutional support.

The study explained that they calculated police stress based on two categories -- operational and organisational strain.

Operational stress comes from the demands of the job itself, such as long hours, exposure to danger and little time for rest or family.

Organisational stress, on the other hand, arises from how the system functions, bureaucracy, staff shortages, administrative overload and unequal workloads.

Both forms, the researchers noted, are deeply intertwined and can affect the mental and physical health of officers, they said.

Among operational stress factors, the most common complaint was the lack of time to spend with friends and family. Officers said they found it difficult to maintain a social life outside work or to find time to stay physically fit.

On a broader spectrum, the study revealed that 91.5 per cent of the police personnel surveyed suffered from moderate to high operational stress, while 54.2 per cent reported organisational stress. Researchers called the figures "alarming", saying they pointed to a systemic problem within the police structure.

Many also reported being constantly exhausted from shift work and overtime, and several said they often felt as if they were "always on duty".

For women, the strain was sharper, and many said they struggled to maintain any social balance at all, describing their lives as "work followed by more work".

When it came to organisational stress, staff shortages emerged as the biggest pressure point, followed by lack of resources and excessive administrative duties. Many officers also cited unequal sharing of work and inadequate training as major reasons for their stress.

The study also found that Delhi Police personnel typically work far beyond normal limits. Nearly 80 per cent said they get fewer than four holidays a month, and about 69 per cent reported working more than 48 hours a week.

Some even said their shifts stretch beyond 72 hours. Those working the longest hours were found to experience significantly higher organisational stress.

Researchers linked this to staff shortages and the absence of fixed duty hours for police in India, unlike in many countries where an eight or twelve-hour shift is standard.

Stress levels also increased with years of service. Officers with over a decade in the force reported more organisational stress than newer recruits.

According to the researchers, enthusiasm in the early years often gives way to fatigue and frustration over time, as long working hours, mounting responsibilities and bureaucratic hurdles take a toll.

Officers living in joint families also reported higher stress than those in nuclear families, which the study suggested could be due to additional domestic responsibilities and less time for self-care.

Health indicators among the participants were equally concerning. About 14 per cent of officers were found to have high blood pressure, 10 per cent were diabetic and nearly 25 per cent reported sleep problems.

Around 22 per cent said they consumed alcohol and 11 per cent smoked, habits which researchers linked to coping with chronic work-related tension.

Those from higher socio-economic backgrounds and with graduate or postgraduate degrees were more likely to report stress, which the authors said may reflect the gap between expectations and job satisfaction.

Comparing Delhi's data with other Indian states, the researchers found that operational stress among the capital's police was among the highest in the country.

The figure matched that of a similar study in South Kerala in 2018, which reported 90 per cent operational stress and exceeded the levels seen in Karnataka (71 per cent) and Manipur (73 per cent).

Calling the results "an eye-opener", the researchers said the findings show the urgent need for institutional reform and mental health support within the force.

They recommended structured stress management programmes, regular counselling and fitness initiatives tailored to police needs. They also suggested fixing duty hours and addressing staff shortages to reduce burnout. PTI SGV SLB KSS KSS