Background: The many dangers and stressors associated with police work often place police officers at a great risk of a variety of mental health morbidity, including suicidality. The causation of suicidality is multi-...Background: The many dangers and stressors associated with police work often place police officers at a great risk of a variety of mental health morbidity, including suicidality. The causation of suicidality is multi-dimensional, however, there are insufficient studies which have examined the burden and risk factors of suicidality in Nigerian police officers. Objective: To determine the prevalence and predictors of suicidality among police officers in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 600 police officers who were selected using a non-probability sampling method. Questionnaires used were: Suicide Behaviour Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and a Socio-Demographic Questionnaire. Results: Prevalence of suicidality was 14%, and the predictors of suicidality were: state anxiety (p 0.001), trait anxiety (p 0.001), substance use (p = 0.03), being unmarried (p = 0.03), and female gender (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Suicidality is prevalent among Nigerian police officers, with a higher risk in those who are vulnerable. The creation of government policies and infrastructure which promote mental health in police officers is necessary.展开更多
文摘Background: The many dangers and stressors associated with police work often place police officers at a great risk of a variety of mental health morbidity, including suicidality. The causation of suicidality is multi-dimensional, however, there are insufficient studies which have examined the burden and risk factors of suicidality in Nigerian police officers. Objective: To determine the prevalence and predictors of suicidality among police officers in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 600 police officers who were selected using a non-probability sampling method. Questionnaires used were: Suicide Behaviour Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and a Socio-Demographic Questionnaire. Results: Prevalence of suicidality was 14%, and the predictors of suicidality were: state anxiety (p 0.001), trait anxiety (p 0.001), substance use (p = 0.03), being unmarried (p = 0.03), and female gender (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Suicidality is prevalent among Nigerian police officers, with a higher risk in those who are vulnerable. The creation of government policies and infrastructure which promote mental health in police officers is necessary.
