Mental Health in the UK Police Force: a Qualitative Investigation into the Stigma with Mental Illness

Edwards, Ann-Marie; Kotera, Yasuhiro

doi:10.1007/s11469-019-00214-x

Cited by 63 publications

(104 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…A smaller, qualitative study in the UK found similar results of officers reporting stigma associated with seeking mental health care and lack of support from line management that hindered officers’ desire to disclose mental distress. 33 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of Mental Illness and Mental Health Care Use Among Police Officers

et al. 2020

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IMPORTANCE Limited literature has characterized patterns of mental illnesses and barriers in seeking mental health care among police officers. OBJECTIVES To assess the prevalence of mental illness (diagnosis) and symptoms of mental illness, evaluate the characteristics of officers interested in seeking mental health care, and characterize perceptions of mental health care use. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This survey study was conducted among officers at a large police department in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. Focus group sessions were conducted from April 1, 2019, to November 30, 2019, and the survey was conducted from January 1 to February 27, 2020. A total of 446 sworn, employed patrol officers who were present during the recruitment briefing were eligible to participate in surveys and focus groups. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Officers reported lifetime or current diagnosis of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, as well as current mental health symptoms (using validated screeners of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and suicidal ideation or selfharm) and mental health care use in the past 12 months. Focus group data were collected to contextualize mental health care use. Logistic regression analyses were used for quantitative data, and focus groups were iteratively coded by 4 coders using inductive and deductive thematic identification. RESULTS Of the 446 officers invited to participate, 434 (97%) completed the survey (mean [SD] age, 37 [10] years; 354 [82%] male; 217 White [50%]). Of these officers, 19 (17%) had sought mental health care services in the past 12 months. A total of 54 officers (12%) reported a lifetime mental health diagnosis, and 114 (26%) had positive screening results for current mental illness symptoms. Among officers with positive screening results, the odds of interest in using mental health services was significantly higher for officers with suicidal ideation or self-harm than for those who did not (adjusted odds ratio, 7.66; 95% CI, 1.70-34.48). Five focus groups were conducted with 18 officers and found 4 primary barriers in accessing mental health services: (1) inability to identify when they are experiencing a mental illness, (2) concerns about confidentiality, (3) belief that psychologists cannot relate to their occupation, and (4) stigma that officers who seek mental health services are not fit for duty. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The study found that although few officers were seeking treatment, they were interested in seeking help, particularly those with suicidal ideation or self-harm. Additional interventions appear to be needed to systematically identify and refer officers to health care services while mitigating their concerns, such as fear of confidentiality breach.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of Mental Illness and Mental Health Care Use Among Police Officers

et al. 2020

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“…As previously noted, in a recent large-scale survey of Canadian public safety personnel, Carleton and his colleagues (2018a) found that officers screen postive for mental disorders at prevalences much higher than those seen among the general population, and screen for higher prevalances of suicide ideation and attempts (Carleton et al, 2018b). However, despite the high prevalence of mental health needs, workplace barriers continue to prevent treatment-seeking among police as well as other public safety personnel (Ricciardelli et al, 2018); these barriers include stigma, abandoning colleagues to work in increasingly understaffed conditions, and occupational repercussions (e.g., inability to promote) (Edwards and Kotera, 2020;Ricciardelli et al, 2019;Rose and Unnithan, 2015).…”

Section: Police and Mental Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘I’m not sick!…Are you?’ Groupthink in police services as a barrier to collecting mental health data

Ricciardelli

Czarnuch

Kuzmochka

et al. 2021

International Journal of Police Science & Management

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Despite the high prevalence of mental disorders among Canadian police officers, treatment-seeking is lower than expected. Toward understanding how mental health services can be tailored for higher utilization by police, we aim to uncover factors that contribute to stigma and barriers to use, specifically within the context of group dynamics between officers. Nine semi-structured focus groups and one interview were conducted with civilian and non-civilian police service employees in Ontario, Canada. Data were coded to allow for themes to emerge from the transcripts. Participant voices ( n=33) revealed the presence of three characteristics of Janis’ groupthink: high group cohesion, conditions that create high stress and low self-esteem, and operating under directive leadership; each creating pressures that serve as barriers to treatment-seeking [Janis IL (1972) Victims of Groupthink: A Psychological Study of Foreign-Policy Decisions And Fiascoes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin]. Groupthink offers a potential explanation about why police, despite a high prevalence of mental disorders and access to mental health services, do not seek treatment as expected. Janis’s theory of groupthink is supported by police officer dialogue in focus groups. Understanding police group interactions can better inform prevention and treatment programs, ultimately leading to better access and use of existing mental health services, a reduction in stigma associated with treatment-seeking, and a healthier police workforce.

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“…All these are potential stressors in the police staff which can lead to significant mental health or psychological problems in them. There have been instances of high rates of depression, substance abuse, and suicide in the police staff (Di Nota et al 2020;Edwards and Kotera 2020). So far, only a few studies have focused on the mental/psychological consequences of perceived work stress in police officers and public safety workers during natural and human-made disasters and have reported high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in them (Benedek et al 2007;Gershon et al 2009).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological Impact of COVID-19 Duties During Lockdown on Police Personnel and Their Perception About the Behavior of the People: an Exploratory Study from India

Grover

Sahoo

Dua

et al. 2020

Int J Ment Health Addiction

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To evaluate the psychosocial issues among the police personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a web-based cross-sectional survey, 623 police personnel were evaluated on Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) and Perceived stress scale (PSS), and a selfdesigned questionnaire. 10.6% of the police personnel had significant anxiety and 18% have significant depressive symptoms with overall psychological morbidity of 22.2%. Higher age was significantly associated with higher depressive symptoms, total PHQ-4 score, and higher perceived stress. The present survey suggests that a substantial proportion of the police personnel on COVID-19 duty during the lockdown period have significant anxiety, depressive symptoms, and perceive significant stress. There is an urgent need to evaluate the mental health issues and provide psychological support to the police personnel who are considered as faceless warriors of the COVID-19.

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Mental Health in the UK Police Force: a Qualitative Investigation into the Stigma with Mental Illness

Cited by 63 publications

References 63 publications

Prevalence of Mental Illness and Mental Health Care Use Among Police Officers

Prevalence of Mental Illness and Mental Health Care Use Among Police Officers

‘I’m not sick!…Are you?’ Groupthink in police services as a barrier to collecting mental health data

Psychological Impact of COVID-19 Duties During Lockdown on Police Personnel and Their Perception About the Behavior of the People: an Exploratory Study from India

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