Citation

Garbarino S, Fornaro M, Messina R, Pompili M, Ciprani F. Ann. Gen. Psychiatry 2021; 20(1).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s12991-021-00350-6

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Suicide is a major public health issue worldwide, with about 880,000 dying annually for such a cause. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to severe social disruption both from health and economic standpoints. Law enforcement personnel have been significantly involved in helping to face the many difficulties due to the pandemic. Police officers have been subjected to further stress from managing social restrictions imposed by governments to contain the pandemic. The Italian State Police steadily approximate 100,000 people aged 25-65 years: 14 subjects (mean age 43.64 years) died by suicide in 2015, 7 (mean age 47.5 years) in 2016, 13 (mean age 45.62 years) in 2017, 10 (mean age 48.1 years) in 2018, 18 (mean age 46.78 years) in 2019, and 12 (mean age 52 years) in 2020. Our records excluded significant changes in suicide incidence rate within 2015-2020 (till December 2020). However, the COVID-19 pandemic spread faster in Italy than in other regions, meaning that the Italian State Police possibly faced prolonged, intense stress. Suicide prevention, therefore, remains a priority, especially during this difficult time. © 2021, The Author(s).

Language: en

Keywords

adult; Prevention; human; COVID-19; suicide; Suicide; female; male; incidence; police; prevalence; pandemic; occupational health; mortality; Italy; major clinical study; population research; middle aged; groups by age; occupational exposure; occupational hazard; Note; job stress; young adult; Police officers; Italian (citizen); coronavirus disease 2019