Open Access Journal
QUALIS
B1
2021-2024
quadriênio
Open Access Journal
B1
2021-2024
quadriênio
Police work, marked by constant exposure to violence, operational risks, and institutional rigidity, places professionals in conditions that foster psychological distress. Disorders such as Occupational Stress, Generalised Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress, and Acute Stress are highly prevalent, intensified by stigma, underreporting, and the normalisation of suffering within police institutions. The growing rates of mental health–related leave and suicide highlight the seriousness of this scenario. The objectives were to identify and understand the psychological vulnerabilities present in the Brazilian police career, analysing institutional, occupational, and psychosocial risk factors associated with the development of mental disorders. This study employed a Systematic Literature Review with a qualitative approach, using articles published between 2020 and 2025 from Google Scholar, SciElo, PubMed, and EBSCO. After screening abstracts, excluding materials prior to 2019, and conducting full-text analysis, studies were categorised into thematic axes. Keywords related to mental health and police work guided the search strategy. Findings indicate that psychological distress stems from emotional overload, rigid organisational structure, lack of recognition, exhaustive work schedules, hierarchical conflicts, and insufficient mental health policies. High prevalence of stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, minor psychiatric disorders, and PTSD was identified. Protective factors included family support, physical activity, resilience, and higher education, while gender, lower rank, and continuous exposure to trauma increased vulnerability. Psychological suffering in police work results from the interaction between emotional demands, operational risks, and institutional weaknesses. Implementing preventive policies, continuous psychological support, and organisational strategies that promote well-being is essential to reduce mental health deterioration.
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