Suicide ideation among police officers in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

This study determined the level of suicide ideation among police officers and whether particular demographic variables were associated with it. A convenience sample (N = 381) of 279 male and 102 female police personnel (mean age of 35.1 years) was drawn from police stations in the Nelson Mandela Metropole in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The Adult Suicide Ideation Questionnaire (ASIQ) and a biographical questionnaire were administered. Of the sample 1.4 . had significant levels of suicidal ideation. None of the following demographic variables; police station, age, gender, race, rank, years of service, years of current position, educational qualifications, marital status, presence of medical conditions, number of alcoholic drinks consumed per week, smoking behaviour and exercise behaviour, was associated with suicidal ideation. Other studies have found that suicide was associated with most of these demographic variables, however our study found that only participants who previously attempted suicide had significantly high scores on the AS1Q.