Suicidal Behaviors in the Ghana Police Service

Abstract

Abstract. Background: Despite recent media reports showing disturbing trends of police suicides in Ghana, no published studies are available from the country. Aims: We sought to estimate the prevalence and describe some of the correlates of suicidal behaviors among police officers in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Method: We surveyed a convenience sample of 268 police officers, using the Suicide Behavior Questionnaire-Revised to assess suicidal ideation, planning, threat, and attempt. Results: Whereas lifetime suicidal ideation (28%), planning (3%), threat (21.6%), and 12-month suicidal ideation (26.9%) were reported, no participating police officer reported ever attempting suicide. Moonlighting showed the strongest statistically significant association with 12-month suicidal ideation, while age, marital status, and job satisfaction also emerged as statistically significant correlates of suicidal ideation. Limitations: The busy nature of police work precluded random selection. The criminalized and tabooed status of attempted suicide in Ghana might have led participants to provide guarded and socially desirable responses. Conclusion: Intervention efforts are needed to prevent the onset of suicidal ideation and possible transition to suicide among police officers in Ghana.

Suicidal ideation and associated factors among school-going adolescents in rural Ghana

“…Thus, in the current study, suicidal behaviour risk was binary, high suicidal behaviour risk vs. low suicidal behaviour risk. In Ghana, the SBQ-R has a satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.78) among both adolescents and adults (Adjorlolo, Anum, & Amin, 2020;Quarshie, Cheataa-Plange, Annor, Asare-Doku, & Lartey, 2019;Quarshie, Odame, & Annor, 2020). The Cronbach's alpha score in the current study was 0.71.…”

A Systematic Review of Risk Factors Implicated in the Suicide of Police Officers

“…Findings also suggested that marital status modified the association between depression scores and suicidal ideation in women officers, with a notably stronger association in single women officers than in married women officers Subordinate theme 2 -job dissatisfaction. Partly stemming from burnout, five independent studies found that a low sense of job satisfaction or job dissatisfaction showed statistically significant associations with suicidal ideation (Berg et al 2003;Burke and Mikkelsen 2007;Meyer et al 2003;Quarshie et al 2021;Rothman and Strijdom 2002). More specifically, Quarshie et al (2021) observed that officers who reported low levels of job satisfaction were at an increased risk of experiencing suicidal ideation during the previous 12 months.…”

“…Partly stemming from burnout, five independent studies found that a low sense of job satisfaction or job dissatisfaction showed statistically significant associations with suicidal ideation (Berg et al 2003;Burke and Mikkelsen 2007;Meyer et al 2003;Quarshie et al 2021;Rothman and Strijdom 2002). More specifically, Quarshie et al (2021) observed that officers who reported low levels of job satisfaction were at an increased risk of experiencing suicidal ideation during the previous 12 months. The researchers theorised that this finding should be expected given that "low job satisfaction may be a response to negative work experiences and unfavourable work characteristics, which can undermine the psychological health of police officers" (Quarshie et al 2021, p. 198).…”

“…There was a consensus that officers who reported higher rates of suicidal ideation were either single, separated, or divorced (Berg et al 2003;Burke and Mikkelsen 2007;Violanti et al 2009). Thus, being married or in a committed relationship was a protective factor (Quarshie et al 2021). However, Barron (2010) found that almost half or the police officers who committed suicide were married with children, suggesting that occupational relationships were poor, and thus, the personal relationships were not sufficiently protective.…”

“…The wages in these countries were low (Steyn et al 2013), which resulted in job dissatisfaction (Rothmann and Strijdom 2002). Thus, some police officers moonlighted, which resulted in increased suicidal ideation, which can be a result of emotional and physical exhaustion from working multiple jobs (Quarshie et al 2021). Developed countries frequently have specific educational degrees for police officers, and the wages are higher.…”