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Protocol
Occupational Health Hazards Among Traffic Police in South Asian
Countries: Protocol for a Scoping Review
Ishrat Jahan1,2*, MBBS, MPH; Koustuv Dalal3*, PhD; Md Abdullah Saeed Khan1,4*, MBBS, MPH; Archi Mutsuddi1,2,
MBBS, MPH; Sabeeha Sultana1,2, MBBS, MPH; Md Utba Rashid1,5, MPH; Miah Md Akiful Haque1,2, MPH;
Mohammad Ali Hossain1,6, MPH; Mosharop Hossian1,2, MPH; Mohammad Hayatun Nabi1, MBBS, MPH, PhD;
Mohammad Delwer Hossain Hawlader1, MBBS, MPH, PhD
1Department of Public Health, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
2Public Health Professional Development Society, Dhaka, Bangladesh
3Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden
4National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dhaka, Bangladesh
5International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
6Ibn Sina Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
*these authors contributed equally
Corresponding Author:
Koustuv Dalal, PhD
Mid Sweden University
Holmgatan
852 30
Sundsvall, SE-851 70
Sweden
Phone: 46 707140122
Email: koustuv.dalal@miun.se
Abstract
Background: Occupational health hazards and injuries are an alarming concern among traffic police. Occupational injuries
affect the physical, social, and mental well-being of police personnel, which has various public health implications. The evaluation
of occupational health and safety policies and regulations for the traffic police relies on their occupational exposure and health
hazard statistics and assessments.
Objective: The purpose of this scoping review is to systematically explore, analyze, and describe relevant findings from all
studies conducted on occupational exposure and associated health hazards among traffic police in South Asia.
Methods: The scoping review will include studies that assessed occupational exposure prevalence, types, knowledge, predisposing
factors, and prevention strategies. Databases like PubMed, Springer Link, EBSCOhost, the Cochrane library, and Google Scholar
will be used to obtain both published and unpublished works in the English language. Relevant gray literature, including
governmental and international organization reports, will be examined. After removing duplicates and screening titles and abstracts,
the full-text analysis will begin. Arksey and O'Malley's methodology framework for scoping reviews will be followed. According
to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews, the scoping review
will be reported. Two qualified reviewers will independently conduct article screening and data extraction. The extracted data
will then be tabulated and accompanied by an explanation to facilitate comprehension. We will extract relevant article results
using NVivo (version 10; QSR International) and thematic content analysis. The included articles will be evaluated using the
mixed methods appraisal tool (version 2018).
Results: The scoping review will provide insight into how occupational health hazards affect traffic police physically and
psychologically in South Asia. The theoretical conceptualization of different aspects of the occupational health of traffic police
will emphasize future studies in this region, which will inform policy makers to revise their occupational health and safety policies
and principles. It will have implications for taking necessary preventive measures in the future to reduce occupational injuries
and fatalities resulting from different types of occupational hazards.
JMIR Res Protoc 2023 | vol. 12 | e42239 | p. 1https://www.researchprotocols.org/2023/1/e42239 (page number not for citation purposes)
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Conclusions: This scoping review will describe the overview of occupational hazards among South Asian traffic police and
will provide insights for policy makers to implement changes and to adapt new strategies.
International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/42239
(JMIR Res Protoc 2023;12:e42239) doi: 10.2196/42239
KEYWORDS
traffic police; occupational health hazards; occupational injuries; occupational exposures; South Asia; occupational; injury;
psychosocial; well-being; prevention; database; policy
Introduction
Where there is unplanned urbanization, occupational- or
work-related health risks related to environmental pollution
have become a serious public health problem [1]. Workplace
health risks include injuries, illnesses, and diseases that originate
from a particular occupation and chronic exposure to certain
chemicals or progressive physical actions. According to the
International Labour Organization, 2.3 million individuals are
injured at work every year. Moreover, each day, more than 6000
individuals die as a consequence of workplace accidents [2].
Occupational risks can cause fatalities and prolonged absences
from work. Occupational hazards are estimated to cost the global
economy 4% of the gross domestic product each year [3].
Traffic police perform crucial actions in maintaining the
country's law, regulations, order, and safety-security. They are
actively involved in managing the city's commutation system.
They ensure that automobiles may travel freely on the road.
Their responsibilities include controlling traffic on cross streets,
settling roadside traffic disputes, and collecting penalties for
breaking traffic regulations. Traffic police officers are
continuously compromising their health for the general public
and are more exposed to occupational hazards. Since occupation
is a major determinant of health, traffic police personnel face
multiple occupational hazards, and it has become a serious
public health concern. Thus, duty-bound personnel like traffic
police are continuously exposed to occupational health risks
and hazards and experience severe related health problems [4].
A Canadian study reported that 42% (n=1500) of working
Canadians had hazardous occupational noise exposure and 80%
(n=373) of them used to wear hearing protection [5]. They are
constantly and concurrently exposed to vehicular pollution,
noise from vehicle honking, harsh weather conditions, and
interpersonal tension between drivers and pedestrians. Traffic
police can also get injured or killed due to car accidents and
assaults. These can happen while driving, patrolling, or when
police are dealing with violence, particularly in the context of
South Asia. The possible occupational hazards for traffic police
include respiratory illness, noise-induced hearing loss or
impairment, skin diseases brought on by UV radiation,
musculoskeletal disorders or backaches, psychological issues,
occupational cancer, and other diseases [6].
Traffic police encounter a variety of occupational dangers, as
one’s occupation is a major driver of one’s health [7]. A
systematic review of 36 global studies among police officers
concluded that traffic police officers were exposed to
noise-induced hearing loss, dermatitis, cancer, posttraumatic
stress disorder, and musculoskeletal disorders [8]. Another
systematic review revealed that traffic police officers are one
among those who are at risk of developing lung cancer due to
environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,
benzene, and so forth [3]. According to a European study, air
pollution is responsible for 6% of all deaths, whereas vehicular
pollution is responsible for 50% of all deaths caused by air
pollution [7]. Similarly, noise is one of the world's most common
occupational health hazards, and the connection between
excessive noise levels and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL)
is widely established. As traffic police officers spend most of
their day exposed to noise and air pollution and remain in close
proximity to the smoke and fumes emitted from vehicles, they
experience air- and noise-induced illness. A cross-sectional
study was conducted on the respiratory health status of traffic
police in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and reported 84.4% of the
respondents had different types of respiratory problems, such
as cough, whistling problems, and breathlessness. About 3.1%
of the traffic police had been experiencing asthma, and 9.1%
of respondents had a history of parental lung disease [9]. A
study in Mangaluru city, India, found that the prevalence of
respiratory morbidity, eye symptoms, and ear problems were
51.2%, 61.6%, and 47.5%, respectively [4]. Research conducted
in Patiala, India, showed that out of 100 traffic policemen, 68%
had a frequent cough, 22% had shortness of breath, and 36%
had irritation in the respiratory tract [10]. Another study
conducted in Gujarat, India, studied the different disease
prevalence in traffic police personnel and revealed that about
7% of traffic police personnel experience eye problems, 35.5%
from blocked ear sensations, and 51.50 % from mild hearing
loss, 13.6% from moderate and 0.90% from severe hearing loss.
The most common physical problems include joint problems
(62.65%), burning soles (42.37%), back pain (20.3%), and
disturbed sleep patterns (16.3%) [11]. A study conducted among
traffic police in Kathmandu found that 72.3% of the respondents
had a complaint of burning eyes or tearful eyes. Ear ringing was
reported by 37.8% of the study subjects [12]. Therefore, skin,
respiratory, and eye problems were the most common physical
problems seen among traffic police reported in another study
in Kathmandu [13]. A Malaysian study reported that traffic
police experience hypo- or hyperthermia, skin cancer,
depression, lower back pain, asthma, NIHL, and so forth due
to occupational exposure to major environmental hazards [14].
A study conducted in Hong Kong has assessed that 80% of
traffic constables have reported exposure to environmental
tobacco smoke, and the odds ratio of having respiratory systems
is 20.4 times more in men as compared to women [15].
While dealing with heavy traffic congestion, traffic police
become mentally and physically exhausted, making them
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susceptible to physical and mental stress, increasing with the
duration of employment [6]. A study conducted in Kathmandu,
Nepal, revealed a significant prevalence of mental health
problems, such as depression (41.3%), anxiety (47%), and stress
symptoms (44%), among traffic police officials. This study also
reported that smoking and longer working hours were
significantly associated with depression, anxiety, and stress
[16]. About 73% of traffic police were reported with anxiety,
while stress-related problems were identified among 40.6% in
another study conducted in Kathmandu [13]. Poor pay,
workload, and irregular working hours were stress factors
causing psychological hazards among Malaysian traffic police
[14].
Cardiovascular disease and cancer risk are also linked to traffic
pollution [17]. The leukocyte telomere length might reduce in
persons exposed to traffic pollution, resulting in early biological
aging and an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease,
heart failure, diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis [18]. The
time-weighted average exposure to benzene, a carcinogen, was
generally higher for traffic police than indoor workers [19].
Many traffic police officers experience work-related
musculoskeletal diseases, particularly in the lower back, neck,
and shoulders [20]. Musculoskeletal issues related to work are
the leading cause of absenteeism and decreased productivity
[21]. Standing in a static posture for lengthy periods exposes
them to ergonomic issues [22]. Overall, 12% (n=24) of the
traffic police in Nepal were found experiencing varicose veins
due to long-standing working hours [23]. Another study in
Bengaluru, India, reported 60% of study participants had
varicose veins associated with long standing hours [24]. An
Indian study on traffic police officers reported disorientation in
working schedule, fear of being vulnerable to disease, and
pressure of maintaining law and order during the COVID-19
lockdown increased their stress level [25]. Job conflict, lack of
autonomy, and organizational policies were found to
significantly affect burnout among Islamabad traffic police
officials [26].
This implies that traffic enforcers' occupational health and safety
(OHS) is a critical public health issue, especially in South Asian
countries.
Occupational health hazards may be preventable, and the
majority of people are ignorant of them. As a consequence, a
safety culture must be developed in the workplace. Occupational
infection prevention and control training programs are developed
at a local level by hospitals or at a national level by Ministry of
Health and Professional Organizations in the United States and
Australia [27]. New Delhi traffic police have various preventive
measures and safety recommendations. They have extensive
safety and skill training, they exercise often to stay fit and limit
the risk of injury, they use personal protective equipment or
other barriers for the duty, and they learn safe lifting techniques.
They follow a recommended shift work pattern to protect
themselves from the consequences of continuous long shifting
hours. They receive first aid training to combat any emergency
situation. Blood pressure checkups, cholesterol tests, and
psychiatric screenings are provided as part of the Health
Surveillance program to ensure general well-being of traffic
police officers in New Delhi. Baseline health assessments are
carried out before starting training or deployment to a specialty
police duty [28]. According to another study conducted in
Ahmedabad, traffic officers standing for a long period of time
in hot and humid weather and their traffic intersections are not
equipped with shade and existing uniform material for traffic
police diminish the effectiveness of sweating. In order to deal
with the heat, traffic officers drink lemon water, sugarcane juice,
and buttermilk. They cover their faces with a handkerchief,
which they also use to protect themselves from smoke from car
exhaust [29].
In India, regarding OHS policies, key activities include reviews
of the labor administration system at the national and state
levels, and conduction of workshops to promote ratification of
the International Labour Organization conventions on OHS
[30]. Control measures being implied among traffic police
through the OHS policy of Malaysia were job rotation, using
earplugs if necessary to prevent NIHL, counseling by Religious
and Counseling Division of the Royal Malaysian Police to
prevent psychological hazards, following self-hygiene practices
such as handwashing, using face masks, and so on [14]. In
Bhutan, though the OHS laws are in place, the Department of
Labour is still incompetent to implement the legislation fully.
The situation is impaired resistance from employers and
employees to comply with the OHS legislation and to adopt a
safety culture [31]. The enforcement of OHS laws is being
carried out through inspections, emphasizing on the prevention,
protection, and promotion. Although the National OHS policy
of Bangladesh has gaps, it includes multiple clauses based on
international labor policy such as workplace safety, accident
prevention, workplace environment and prevention of hazards,
disease prevention, and safeguards. The policy stipulates the
need to ensure workplace safety and health protection in the
light of international conventions, to develop a strategy and
action plan to ensure proper implementation of national laws,
and to include OHS issues in the policies and programs of all
related ministries and agencies [32].
Therefore, directly or indirectly, traffic police face a wide variety
of health hazards at their working environment, namely,
physical, biological, psychosocial, chemical, and ergonomic
hazards. Thus, duty-bound personnel like traffic police get
exposed to various occupational hazards with different
work-related injuries or diseases that have profound public
health implications. These identified impacts pose severe health
and safety problems and require inculcating a safety culture in
the workplace. After a careful search, limited studies were found
focusing on occupational health hazards among traffic police
officers in South Asian countries. However, a few relevant
studies regarding OHS practices, and guidelines for traffic police
officers were conducted in this region. Hence, the conduct of
this scoping review is imperative to explore the knowledge gaps,
prevalence, possible risk factors, and control or preventive
measures of occupational health hazards among traffic police
in South Asia.
The suggested scoping review will include studies conducted
on the occupational health of traffic police. It will cover all
aspects of health, including the physical, psychological, social,
and environmental components in this vulnerable group related
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to their occupational exposure. Furthermore, risk factors causing
these exposures, such as insufficient knowledge and preventive
measure, will be explored. This study is directed to come up
with a complete evaluation of the evidence on occupational
hazards among South Asian traffic police.
We will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic
Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews
(PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, use reliable tools to assess study
quality [33,34], and propose a method to query the literature
about the occupational exposures and health hazards among
South Asian traffic police.
Methods
Protocol Design
This scoping review will synthesize all available information
by systematic research, selection, and amalgam of current
knowledge. The conceptual framework developed by Arksey
and O'Malley [35] will be followed to develop this protocol.
The development of a scoping review will involve six steps:
(1) identifying research question; (2) identifying suitable
publication or studies; (3) selection of studies; (4) data charting;
(5) collating, summarizing, and reporting results; and (6) quality
appraisal.
To assess the quality of the articles incorporated in the review,
the mixed methods assessment tool, 2018 will be used [34].
NVivo (version 10) [36] will be used to obtain meaningful
outcomes for thematic content analysis. After the observations
are input into NVivo, information about occupational health
risks among traffic police will be coded. The findings on the
number of studies retrieved from the search and the total number
of studies excluded at each screening stage guided by the
Preferred Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
extension for scoping reviews will be reported and is outlined
in Figure 1[33]. Therefore, scoping review will give an outline
relevant to our interest, allowing for the clarification of key
concepts and the identification of gaps. This scoping review
will be used to help us choose an appropriate arena for a future
systematic review.
Figure 1. Study selection process.
Eligibility of Research
Studies will be selected according to the population, exposure,
and outcomes framework outlined below (Textbox 1).
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Textbox 1. Structure to determine eligibility for the research question.
Population
•Traffic police in South Asia
Exposure
•Occupational exposure (air pollution, noise pollution, exposure to chemical substances, and negative workplace exposure)
Outcomes
•Types
•Physical hazards: noise-induced hearing loss
•Chemical hazards: cancer
•Biological hazards: blood-borne diseases
•Ergonomic hazards: musculoskeletal disorders
•Organizational hazards: burnout
•Psychological hazards: anxiety, depression, insomnia, and posttraumatic stress disorder
•Prevalence
•Level of knowledge
•Predisposing factors or risk factors
•Preventive measures
•Usage of preventive measures
Identifying Research Questions
Overall, the research questions are as follows: what is the current
status of occupational health hazards among South Asian traffic
police? Based on this research question, the following questions
are specified: (1) what kind of occupational health hazards do
traffic police face, and how common are they? (2) What are the
traffic police’s understanding or knowledge of the occupational
hazards related to their jobs? (3) What are the potential risk
factors that put traffic police at risk for health hazards related
to their occupation? (4) What are the preventive strategies
accessible for use by traffic police to avoid occupational health
outcomes? (5) What preventive steps the traffic police might
use to avoid workplace health risks or hazards? (6) Is there
awareness of various protocols for occupation-related injuries
or chronic disease management?
Identifying Suitable Studies
The scoping review also aims to compare patterns, prevalence,
and characteristics of occupational hazards of South Asian
countries (India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri
Lanka) in which there will be a search for common patterns in
regard to occupational health hazards as well as comparison of
patterns, characteristics, and prevalence of occupational health
hazards by country. We assume that there could be a common
culture, common characteristics of the occupational health
hazards among the traffic police, and even there could be a
similar pattern of environmental exposures as these countries
belong to the same subcontinent. On the other hand, there could
be variance in prevalence, national policies, and preventive
measures in different countries of South Asia. Moreover, most
of the studies were conducted on various types of occupational
health hazards among traffic police in different countries of
South Asia. There are very few studies, which are focused on
occupational health hazards of traffic police, thus generalizing
findings for South Asia. Therefore, there will be an inclusion
of all types of studies conducted on occupational health hazards
of traffic police in countries as well as a whole of South Asia
to identify the root causes behind prevalent occupational health
hazards and also to have a clear picture on the emergence of
tailoring any program for traffic police to prevent occupational
health hazards.
Another goal of this review is to discover a wide range of
literature including published studies, policy reports,
newspapers, gray literature, and so on. The following electronic
databases will be searched for keywords: PubMed, Springer
Link, as well as EBSCO host, the Cochrane library, and Google
Scholar (Multimedia Appendix 1). In addition, investigators
will also look for appropriate research in gray literature, such
as dissertations, as well as reports from governmental and
international organizations such as World Health Organization
and abstracts from conferences as there are very limited
published studies focused on this topic in South Asia available
in web-based sources. Finally, investigators will examine the
reference lists of the incorporated research for related articles.
During database searches and article retrieval, assistance from
North-South University library services will be sought. The
following are the keywords that will be used to find these
databases: traffic police, occupational health hazards,
prevalence, types, level of knowledge, predisposing factors or
risk factors, preventive measures, and level of use of
preventative measures (Multimedia Appendix 1). While
searching, Boolean terms (AND, OR) will be used to separate
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relevant keywords. Additionally, MeSH terms will also help to
specify the search. As each database has a distinct search
method, the result of database searches will be transferred to
the Mendeley library for additional screening of abstracts and
complete articles. Every search will have its own specific
documentation, which will include all details of the literature
such as the search terms, the date of the search, the search engine
used, the total number of articles found, and so on Research
teams, important stakeholders, and knowledge consumers
working in this field, such as health care professionals,
university professors, will be polled to choose the search terms
that will be used by the search strategy. Search terms or strategy
will be changed based on the comments of other partners. In
order to avert any risk of bias while selecting publications, the
final step of the search process will be conducted in complete
anonymity.
Study Selection
The review approach will consist of two screening steps: (1) A
title and an abstract and (2) a full-text evaluation.
Two nonpartisan investigators will review the titles and abstracts
of manuscripts to determine whether or not they meet the
minimal set of inclusion as well as exclusion criteria.
Inclusion criteria are as follows: (1) studies carried on traffic
police; (2) studies conducted on job-related exposures to
biological and nonbiological hazards, prevalence, different kinds
of hazards, risk factors, knowledge levels, and preventative
methods; (3) studies carried out in South Asian countries
(Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka);
(4) studies that are based on cohorts, case-control studies,
cross-sectional studies, randomized controlled trials, and
nonrandomized controlled trials; and (6) scholarly work
published in English as well as in other languages with an
English translation.
Exclusion criteria are as follows: (1) studies that did not focus
on traffic police and occupational health hazards, (2) studies
published in languages other than English, and (3) qualitative
studies.
Before the actual review of article abstracts, the minimal
inclusion and exclusion criteria will be evaluated on a sample
of abstracts to make sure they are robust enough to include any
studies on occupational exposures among traffic police in South
Asia. Articles matching the inclusion criteria will be chosen for
a full-text review. Based on the sample review, the inclusion
and exclusion criteria will be finalized. In the subsequent step
of the process, out of 2 investigators, each will conduct their
own independent evaluation of the complete texts of the
publication using the study criteria. If reviewers disagree with
any article, it will be given a second look, and any further
disagreements about the article's eligibility will be discussed
with a third investigator. In order to provide a comprehensive
record of the review procedure, a flowchart known as the
PRISMA-ScR [33] will be constructed (Figure 1).
Data Charting
The relevant data will be drawn out using an extraction form.
Specific details such as year of publication with date, study
design, population, study aim, study title, study setting,
intervention, proportions, result of the study, key findings
pertinent to the study questions, and observations will be
extracted and will be used to organize the data of all analyzed
studies using a codebook. An extraction sample is provided in
Textbox 2. Alterations will be made to the data extraction form
on a regular basis. The given data extraction instrument will be
then adjusted and adapted as needed while processing data from
a source of evidence. Two independent reviewers will extract
data from the submitted data separately. Extracted data from
the reviewers will then be analyzed and compared. To ensure
data accuracy and integrity, any inconsistencies will be
addressed. In order to assure data validity and coding, all
extracted data will be compiled in a single Excel (Microsoft)
document.
Textbox 2. Data charting form.
•Name of author, date of publication
•Study title
•Objective of the study or research question
•Population
•Sample size
•Characteristics of participants
•Geography of the study
•Study design
•Recruitment setting
•Sampling strategy
•Most relevant and significant findings
•Conclusions
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Collating, Summarizing, and Reporting Results
The objective or goal of the scoping review is to outline the
existing evidence and give a comprehensive summary of
occupational health risks and hazards among traffic police in
South Asian countries. It will not only incorporate the
prevalence of hazards but also ensure the usage of preventive
strategies. It will also serve as a guide to identify the risk factors.
According to Arksey and O’Malley methodology [35], the
investigators will use thematic content analysis to extract data
linked to the research objectives and code them using NVivo
software (version 10) [36]. The full-text papers will subsequently
be analyzed for documented evidence on occupational health
concerns among traffic police. Through coding, all data on
occupational health hazards among traffic police will be
collected from the included publications. Lastly, an overall
interpretation of how the various concepts relating to the
research topic and thematic areas relate to one another will be
undertaken.
Quality Appraisal
For the quality evaluation, evidence from various research will
be evaluated. This will be performed to confirm that the research
strategy is suitable for the study's objectives and to limit the
likelihood of bias. The 2018 version of the mixed methods
appraisal tool (MMAT supported by the Canadian Institutes of
Health Research) will be applied to evaluate the standard of the
study's chosen articles [36]. Using this instrument, researchers
will be able to evaluate the objective, methodology, research
design, recruitment of study participants, data collection, data
analysis technique, description of study outcomes, and authors'
debates and conclusions. It will also help to evaluate the quality
of primary research. Due to the necessity of making judgments,
this technique requires the participation of 2 independent
reviewers. Reviewers will adhere to the scoring manual included
in the MMAT 2018 version. The overall percentage score for
quality will be calculated for each study evaluation, scores below
50% will be regarded as poor and scores between 51% and 75%
will be considered average. A score between 76% and 100%
will be considered as of good quality.
Ethical Considerations
This scoping review requires no ethical approval as it does not
involve human subjects; yet, it might have some limitations.
Limited studies are conducted regarding this topic in this region.
Again, this review will only consider published and gray
literature written in English.
Results
A preliminary search of the primary databases has been
conducted. Electronic database searches will be completed by
October 2022. Disseminating the findings from this scoping
review in a scientific peer-reviewed journal has been envisaged.
It is anticipated that the theoretical conceptualization on different
aspects of occupational health of traffic police will emphasize
future studies in this region, which will inform policy makers
to revise their OHS policies and principles. Additionally, it will
have implications on taking necessary preventive measures in
the future to reduce occupational injuries and fatalities resulting
from different types of occupational hazards.
Discussion
Principal Findings
The scoping review aims to systematically explore, analyze,
and describe relevant findings on occupational exposures and
their associated health hazards among traffic police in South
Asia. However, a few relevant studies regarding OHS practices,
policies, and guidelines for traffic policies were conducted in
this region. Hence, this scoping review will explore the
knowledge gaps, prevalence, possible risk factors, and control
or preventive measures of occupational health hazards among
traffic police in South Asia.
The scoping review will outline and perform a detailed
discussion on occupational exposure focusing on the physical,
psychological, and environmental aspects of health affecting
traffic police in the South Asian region. The extracted data will
be provided in a tabular format and a descriptive summary will
explain how the results relate to the scoping review's goals and
objectives. The scoping study is expected to shed light on the
information and evidence that are currently available on
occupational exposure and health hazards for South Asian traffic
police, and the summary will also be evaluated, interpreted, and
compared considering the existing literature. The review may
have far-reaching implications for future projections of
occupational exposures and for revising the current policy if
needed. It may also reveal different research areas into multiple
aspects of occupational exposure and occupational health
hazards among traffic police in South Asia.
The findings of this scoping review will be impactful as it will
explore in detail the health hazards associated with this
profession, and an evidence-based review of the current status
of occupational health safety policy and preventive measures
as well as interventions will be explained.
The study will explain the need for occupational safety and
health strategy for traffic police with the overall vision of
providing a healthy, safe, and productive working environment,
which should be implemented by all the relevant agencies such
as government, industry, and general public. This study will
inform policy as well as management principles and
interventions. When a strategy on the OHS of traffic police is
well developed and implemented, there will be effectiveness
on how the traffic police keep themselves safe from occupational
health hazards.
Strengths and Limitations to the Scoping Review
This scoping review will describe its findings in accordance
with the Preferred Items for Systematic Reviews and
Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Five
electronic databases and gray literature, such as unpublished
theses and dissertations will be used as a primary source of
relevant studies. All articles will be screened by 2 independent
researchers using a minimum set of inclusion and exclusion
criteria. The study will evaluate the quality of included studies
in accordance with an established MMAT. However, there is a
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possibility to overlook some relevant studies as only English-language publications will be considered and reviewed.
Authors' Contributions
IJ, MASK, and AM conceptualized the study and prepared the draft proposal. IJ, AM, MAH, and SS contributed to the development
of the background, the research questions, and study methods. IJ, MASK, MH, and MUR planned the output of the research and
contributed meaningfully to the drafting and editing. SS, MUR, MMAH, and MHN aided in developing the research questions
and critically reviewed the study methods. IJ, AM, MASK, MDHH, MHN, and MAH wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All
authors read and approved the manuscript.
Conflicts of Interest
None declared.
Multimedia Appendix 1
Data search strategy.
[DOCX File , 13 KB-Multimedia Appendix 1]
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Abbreviations
MMAT: mixed methods appraisal tool
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NIHL: noise-induced hearing loss
OHS: occupational health and safety
PRISMA-ScR: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis extension for scoping
reviews
Edited by A Mavragani; submitted 07.09.22; peer-reviewed by D Madhusudhan, S Afrin, M Kapsetaki; comments to author 17.11.22;
revised version received 08.12.22; accepted 08.12.22; published 08.03.23
Please cite as:
Jahan I, Dalal K, Khan MAS, Mutsuddi A, Sultana S, Rashid MU, Haque MMA, Hossain MA, Hossian M, Nabi MH, Hawlader MDH
Occupational Health Hazards Among Traffic Police in South Asian Countries: Protocol for a Scoping Review
JMIR Res Protoc 2023;12:e42239
URL: https://www.researchprotocols.org/2023/1/e42239
doi: 10.2196/42239
PMID:
©Ishrat Jahan, Koustuv Dalal, Md Abdullah Saeed Khan, Archi Mutsuddi, Sabeeha Sultana, Md Utba Rashid, Miah Md Akiful
Haque, Mohammad Ali Hossain, Mosharop Hossian, Mohammad Hayatun Nabi, Mohammad Delwer Hossain Hawlader. Originally
published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 08.03.2023. This is an open-access article distributed
under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR Research
Protocols, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on
https://www.researchprotocols.org, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.
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