Understanding how climate disasters influence police officers’ mental wellbeing, their attitudes to disaster preparedness and what to consider in the future.
| Lead institution | |
|---|---|
| Principal researcher(s) |
Jade Forrester
|
| Police region |
East Midlands
|
| Level of research |
Masters
|
| Project start date |
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| Date due for completion |
|
Research context
This study assesses how exposure to climate disasters (for example floods, wildfires and extreme storms) influences police officers’ attitudes towards future preparedness and their mental health. With the increasing frequency of climate-related events, it's crucial to explore these dynamics to better understand the likely mental health support needs and resilience of those on the front line.
This study aims to provide valuable insights into the challenges of being part of an emergency response team and what front line responders consider important for the future.
Research methodology
This study will use a quantitative research design with an online questionnaire as the primary data collection method. The study will use primary data collected through self-reported responses from emergency responders. The online data collection platform, Qualtrics, will be used.
Demographic and professional background information relevant to emergency response roles will be obtained but no personally identifiable information, such as participants’ names, will be collected and responses will be anonymised and stored securely. The data will be analysed using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis to examine relationships between exposure to climate emergencies, preparedness attitudes and mental health outcomes.