Formação em saúde para policiais iniciantes: estratégias preventivas para enfrentar os impactos da exposição contínua à violência

Abstract

Police work is marked by high levels of physical and emotional demands, exposing officers to constant risks that may compromise their health e well-being, thus creating a scenario of vulnerability that requires structured interventions in health promotion. The study aims to develop e validate an educational process, including instructional didactic material for health training of novice police officers, focusing on the prevention of the impacts of continuous exposure to violence. It is a case study involving the development of a technological-educational product with an exploratory, descriptive, and participatory design, adopting a mixed-methods approach (quantitative e qualitative). The methodology was structured in three phases: diagnosis of health problems among military police officers in Ceará, with the construction and classification of the Initial Psychosocial Risk Indicator (IRPI); planning and development of a specific curriculum matrix; and validation of the content with experts through the Delphi technique, using the Content Validity Index (CVI). The diagnosis revealed lifestyle habits compromised by work overload, limited leisure opportunities, inadequate dietary patterns, high exposure to violence, as well as significant levels of mental distress, alcohol and tobacco use, and a prevalence of psychosocial risk factors. The constructed curriculum matrix included modules on physical and mental health, stress management, interpersonal relations, ergonomics, physical education, e the development of socioemotional skills, aiming to place health as a structural axis of police training. Validation by experts confirmed the relevance, applicability, e originality of the proposal, consolidating the course as a legitimate tool for preventive intervention. The adoption of the matrix represents a methodological innovation that shifts health from a peripheral component of training to the core of educational policy in public security, offering novice police officers concrete tools to strengthen resilience, manage stress, and protect physical and mental well-being. It is concluded that investing in preventive health training for novice police officers not only reduces rates of illness e absenteeism but also strengthens public security, promoting a more balanced, humane, e sustainable professional practice.