Suicidality among police.
OBJECTIVE
This paper reviews recent international literature on suicide among police officers.


RESULTS
Research examining the incidence and prevalence of suicide and suicidality among police, particularly the extent to which they constitute a high-risk group, has produced conflicting results. Police appear to be at greater risk of posttraumatic stress reactions (resulting from higher exposures to trauma) and job burnout (resulting from the way in which police work is organized), both of which increase the risk of psychosocial problems and suicide.


CONCLUSIONS
Though worker suicide is the result of a complex interaction of personal vulnerabilities, workplace stressors, and environmental factors, research into police suicide has largely emphasized only two of these components: workplace trauma as a determinant of posttraumatic stress reactions; and organizational stressors as a determinant of job stress and burnout. Personality factors and coping styles have received less attention and there have been few attempts to understand the complex interactions between all of these factors. Prevention strategies have focused on psychological debriefing for traumatic incidents and organizational change designed to improve job commitment and reduce job burnout.
Stuart
Heather
H
Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. heather.stuart@queensu.ca
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002423:Cause of Death; D002605:Character; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008016:Life Change Events; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D016495:Police / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000092864:Suicide Prevention