Psychological Wellbeing of Police as Frontline Warriors During the Peak of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Gujarat: An Observational Survey Study

The public realized the crucial role of police as frontline warriors in controlling the spread of the pandemic by restricting the movement of the public during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a way, the dedicated duty deliverance of police, without paying attention to their own self, helped regulate the spread of COVID-19 to a large extent. Naturally, this affected the psychological well-being of the police. In this regard, the present correlational study aimed at understanding the impact of public support, Self-regulated, work environment, family, and spiritual aspects on the psychological well-being of police. A Survey was conducted on adult police personnel (N=100; 35.3±7.7 years) from Dahod, Gujarat, India. Police on fieldwork, age: 20-50 years, both genders and working in the police for more than 5 years, and willing to participate were included. Police engaged in office work, on night shift work and not consenting were excluded. Data was collected using a screening form. Principal component analysis denoted the spiritual factors among the police personnel, irrespective of gender (Male: n=43; 50%; Female: n=7; 50%), resulting in higher psychological well-being (X2= 22.8; p<0.001). Public support was found to be the second most contributing factor (X2= 23.1; p <0.001), although it was better among females (n=8; 57%) than males (n=39; 45%). Summing up, the psychological well-being among police is directly connected to spiritual wellbeing and public support. In addition, self-regulatory measures, family support, and workplace harmony were also found to contribute to the psychological well-being among police during the pandemic's peak.