PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Firearm violence is a growing public health problem causing death globally. With easy accessibility to firearms, suicides, homicides, and homicide-suicides have increased among security officers, especially in developing countries affected by long-standing civil wars/political insurgencies. No study has explored firearm violence in East African countries. This study describes the press media reporting of suicides, homicides, and homicide-suicides among security officers in two East African countries (Uganda and Kenya).
Due to the absence of suicide databases among East African countries, the present study reviewed press media reports. We utilized content analysis of suicides, homicides, and homicide-suicides reports among security forces. Relevant media reports between January-2020 and May-2023 were searched. Using ANOVA and chi-square tests, we tested for statistical differences in characteristics between victims and perpetrators.
Among the 56 perpetrated reports, most of them were homicides 44.64% (n = 25/56), 30.36% (n = 17/56) were homicide-suicides, and 25% (n = 14/56) were suicides. Perpetrators\' age ranged from 21 to 47 years, majority being males [53/56 (94.64%)]. Victims were 58, mostly Ugandans [41/58 (73.21%)] with a mean age of 33.5 ± 8.81 years. Among the three main outcomes, statistically significant difference existed by country (χ2 = 23.88, p < 0.001), and perpetrators\' age (F = 8.59, p = 0.005). There was a significant difference between perpetrators and the number of victims lost by age of victims (F = 10.37, p = 0.002). Among victims, type of security of perpetrator and citizenship of victims (χ2 = 24.18, p < 0.001) showed statistical difference with Ugandans having more victims to army officers while Kenyans to police officers. Brief incident descriptions pointed towards relationship dysfunctions, alcohol/substance abuse, intentional harm, and financial disagreements, as the potential causes. Only two perpetrators were reported to have mental health-related conditions.
This study shows that media reported firearms-related suicides, homicides, and homicide-suicides among security forces commonly involve males. Perpetrators in Uganda are mainly army officers while in Kenya the perpetrators are mostly police officers. Mental health conditions were not frequently reported among perpetrators. We recommend strengthening and enforcing gun regulation policies among security officers to curb this growing problem in these countries. Routine screening of mental health problems to enable early interventions is recommended among security officers.
Due to the absence of suicide databases among East African countries, the present study reviewed press media reports. We utilized content analysis of suicides, homicides, and homicide-suicides reports among security forces. Relevant media reports between January-2020 and May-2023 were searched. Using ANOVA and chi-square tests, we tested for statistical differences in characteristics between victims and perpetrators.
Among the 56 perpetrated reports, most of them were homicides 44.64% (n = 25/56), 30.36% (n = 17/56) were homicide-suicides, and 25% (n = 14/56) were suicides. Perpetrators\' age ranged from 21 to 47 years, majority being males [53/56 (94.64%)]. Victims were 58, mostly Ugandans [41/58 (73.21%)] with a mean age of 33.5 ± 8.81 years. Among the three main outcomes, statistically significant difference existed by country (χ2 = 23.88, p < 0.001), and perpetrators\' age (F = 8.59, p = 0.005). There was a significant difference between perpetrators and the number of victims lost by age of victims (F = 10.37, p = 0.002). Among victims, type of security of perpetrator and citizenship of victims (χ2 = 24.18, p < 0.001) showed statistical difference with Ugandans having more victims to army officers while Kenyans to police officers. Brief incident descriptions pointed towards relationship dysfunctions, alcohol/substance abuse, intentional harm, and financial disagreements, as the potential causes. Only two perpetrators were reported to have mental health-related conditions.
This study shows that media reported firearms-related suicides, homicides, and homicide-suicides among security forces commonly involve males. Perpetrators in Uganda are mainly army officers while in Kenya the perpetrators are mostly police officers. Mental health conditions were not frequently reported among perpetrators. We recommend strengthening and enforcing gun regulation policies among security officers to curb this growing problem in these countries. Routine screening of mental health problems to enable early interventions is recommended among security officers.
摘要：
背景：枪支暴力是导致全球死亡的日益严重的公共卫生问题。易于获得枪支，自杀,凶杀案,安全人员中的凶杀自杀事件有所增加，特别是在受长期内战/政治叛乱影响的发展中国家。没有研究探讨东非国家的枪支暴力。这项研究描述了新闻媒体对自杀的报道，凶杀案,以及两个东非国家（乌干达和肯尼亚）的安全官员之间的凶杀-自杀。
方法：由于东非国家缺乏自杀数据库，本研究回顾了新闻媒体的报道。我们利用自杀的内容分析，凶杀案,以及安全部队中的凶杀自杀报告。搜索2020年1月至2023年5月的相关媒体报道。使用方差分析和卡方检验，我们测试了受害者和犯罪者特征的统计差异。
结果：在56份犯罪报告中，其中大多数是凶杀案44.64%(n=25/56)，30.36%(n=17/56)是凶杀自杀，25％（n=14/56）是自杀。犯罪者年龄从21岁到47岁，大多数是男性[53/56（94.64％）]。受害者为58，主要是乌干达人[41/58（73.21％）]，平均年龄为33.5±8.81岁。在三个主要成果中，各国差异有统计学意义(χ2=23.88，p<0.001)，和肇事者年龄(F=8.59，p=0.005)。犯罪者与按受害者年龄分列的受害者人数之间存在显着差异（F=10.37，p=0.002）。在受害者中，犯罪者的安全类型和受害者的公民身份（χ2=24.18，p<0.001）显示出统计学差异，乌干达人对军官的受害者更多，而肯尼亚人对警察的受害者更多。简短的事件描述指向关系功能障碍，酒精/药物滥用，故意伤害,和金融分歧，作为潜在的原因。据报道，只有两名肇事者患有与精神健康有关的疾病。
结论：这项研究表明，媒体报道了与枪支有关的自杀，凶杀案,安全部队中的凶杀-自杀通常涉及男性。乌干达的肇事者主要是军官，而肯尼亚的肇事者主要是警察。肇事者中很少报告精神健康状况。我们建议加强和执行安全官员之间的枪支管制政策，以遏制这些国家日益严重的问题。建议安全人员对心理健康问题进行常规筛查，以进行早期干预。
方法：由于东非国家缺乏自杀数据库，本研究回顾了新闻媒体的报道。我们利用自杀的内容分析，凶杀案,以及安全部队中的凶杀自杀报告。搜索2020年1月至2023年5月的相关媒体报道。使用方差分析和卡方检验，我们测试了受害者和犯罪者特征的统计差异。
结果：在56份犯罪报告中，其中大多数是凶杀案44.64%(n=25/56)，30.36%(n=17/56)是凶杀自杀，25％（n=14/56）是自杀。犯罪者年龄从21岁到47岁，大多数是男性[53/56（94.64％）]。受害者为58，主要是乌干达人[41/58（73.21％）]，平均年龄为33.5±8.81岁。在三个主要成果中，各国差异有统计学意义(χ2=23.88，p<0.001)，和肇事者年龄(F=8.59，p=0.005)。犯罪者与按受害者年龄分列的受害者人数之间存在显着差异（F=10.37，p=0.002）。在受害者中，犯罪者的安全类型和受害者的公民身份（χ2=24.18，p<0.001）显示出统计学差异，乌干达人对军官的受害者更多，而肯尼亚人对警察的受害者更多。简短的事件描述指向关系功能障碍，酒精/药物滥用，故意伤害,和金融分歧，作为潜在的原因。据报道，只有两名肇事者患有与精神健康有关的疾病。
结论：这项研究表明，媒体报道了与枪支有关的自杀，凶杀案,安全部队中的凶杀-自杀通常涉及男性。乌干达的肇事者主要是军官，而肯尼亚的肇事者主要是警察。肇事者中很少报告精神健康状况。我们建议加强和执行安全官员之间的枪支管制政策，以遏制这些国家日益严重的问题。建议安全人员对心理健康问题进行常规筛查，以进行早期干预。
