Health Outcomes and Behavioral Risk Factors Among US Law Enforcement Officers

Violence prevention is widely recognized as a public health priority, and law enforcement officers' (LEOs) health is important for frontline response and prevention. Yet population-based estimates of LEO health remain limited and are rarely contextualized within the broader workforce. This study assesses health outcomes and behavioral risk factors among LEOs compared with other employed adults.

This study analyzed 2018-2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data, linking public-use health and demographic data with restricted-use Industry and Occupation modules. Analyses were conducted in 2026. Because the analyses required restricted-use data, the data were accessed through the National Center for Health Statistics Research Data Center. The analytic sample included 646,581 employed adults from 45 states. LEOs were identified using police officers, correctional officers, and six other law-enforcement-related occupation categories. Self-reported health status, reported health conditions, and health behaviors were compared between LEOs and other employed adults, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics.

Compared with other employed adults, LEOs reported a lower prevalence of fair or poor general health (aPR, 0.68; 95% CI=0.56, 0.82), frequent mental distress (aPR, 0.70; 95% CI=0.59, 0.83), and depressive disorder (aPR, 0.58; 95% CI=0.49, 0.68). However, LEOs reported a higher prevalence of overweight or obesity (aPR, 1.17; 95% CI=1.14, 1.20), diabetes (aPR, 1.25; 95% CI=1.00, 1.55), sleep deprivation (aPR, 1.31; 95% CI=1.22, 1.40), high blood pressure (aPR, 1.14; 95% CI=1.01, 1.29), smokeless tobacco use (aPR, 1.87; 95% CI=1.59, 2.20), and COVID-19 positivity (aPR, 1.24; 95% CI=1.12, 1.39).

LEOs reported favorable overall and mental health profiles alongside specific vulnerabilities that may reflect occupational context such as shift work and frontline exposure. These findings underscore the need for identifying LEO-specific health risks when developing targeted prevention and intervention strategies.