Depression, suicidality and associated risk factors among police officers in urban Tanzania: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundThe WHO has classified depression as a disease of public concern. Police officers are a particular subpopulation group that is at an increased risk for mental health problems. This study examined the prevalence of depression, suicidality and associated risk factors among police officers in urban Tanzania.AimsThe aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of depression, suicidality and associated risk factors among police officers in Tanzania.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2019 and October 2020 among 550 participants in Dar es Salaam recruited using a multistage cluster sampling technique. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to screen for depression and suicidality. The Interpersonal Support Evaluation List-12 tool was used to measure perceived social support. Descriptive statistics were summarised using frequencies and percentages. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to establish associations between predictors of interest, depression and suicidality.ResultsThere were 497 participants in the study. Of these, 76.6% (376 of 491) were men, and the median (IQR) age was 37.0 (17) years. Around 19.8% (96 of 486) of the police officers screened positive for depression and 15.4% (75 of 413) for suicidality. A significant proportion was either moderately (29 of 96, 30.2%) or severely depressed (8 of 75, 10.7 %). Of those who experienced suicidal thoughts, 10.7% (8 of 75) reported having daily suicidal thoughts. Perceiving low social support was associated with an increased risk of reporting depression (adjusted OR (aOR): 28.04, 95% CI: 8.42 to 93.37, p<0.001) and suicidality (aOR: 10.85, 95% CI: 3.56 to 33.08, p<0.001) as compared with those with high perceived social support.ConclusionThe magnitude of depression and suicidality among police officers in urban Tanzania is alarmingly high. The study findings indicate the need for routine screening for depression and suicidality among police officers and design appropriate mental health responsive services in this population.

Identifying Organizational Stressors That Could Be a Source of Discomfort in Police Officers: A Thematic Review

“…It can come in any form, as Cohen [ 34 ] mentions, and can create a sense of belonging and even help workers overcome obstacles. A total of nine studies (45%) [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ] highlighting the importance of social support from organizations were included in this review. The absence or presence of social support from organizations was assessed in a cross-sectional study using a validated scale and an ad hoc questionnaire.…”

“…Violanti et al [ 37 ] showed that police officers who perceived low social support showed increased PTSD symptoms and used lower levels of active coping. In addition, Njiro et al [ 38 ] found that police officers who perceived a lack of social support were at increased risk for depression and suicidality. Wray and Jarrett [ 39 ] also emphasized that limited opportunities for support can increase suicidal ideation and the risk of burnout.…”

“…The presence of organizational social support has been identified as an important organizational factor that can increase officer well-being and reduce stress and strain. Tucker [ 38 ] found that perceived organizational support increased the possibility of contacting services for both individuals and stress intervention service users. In a study by Frank et al [ 40 ], results indicated that organizational support reduced levels of job stress.…”

“…Overall, data from this thematic review indicate the need to develop tailored interventions aimed at alleviating stress by training supervisors, rewriting procedures, examining psychological health symptoms, and offering support in seeking professional help [ 38 , 41 , 59 ]. All actions should be taken and promoted at the organizational level to ensure the effectiveness of the intervention.…”

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

“…Many of these officers had communicated their suicidal intent to others. In addition, Njiro et al (2021) reported that depression and low support were intertwined in predicting suicidal ideation. A small number of police officers had a history of previous suicide attempts, with this more prevalent for women (Berg et al 2003;Di Nota et al 2020).…”