Suicide patterns among physicians related to other academics as well as to the general population

Abstract

ABSTRACT— In the present study, we have followed a national cohort of physicians, academics and the general population (part of the compulsory census in 1960) for a period of 10 years and identified all cases of suicide during the period 1961 ‐ 1970. Furthermore, we have carried out a retrospective study of suicides among the four major medical specialist groups (general practioners, internists, psychiatrists and general surgeons) and compared these rates with other medical specialists.Results show an elevated standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for suicide among female physicians compared to other academics as well as to the general population. Furthermore, male doctors exhibit an elevated suicide rate only when compared to other academics. Among the various specialists, general surgeons alone exhibited a significantly elevated suicide rate. The study clearly shows that female physicians are more prone to suicide than most other women, but that male physicians are also at risk compared to other male academics. Furthermore, at least in Sweden, general surgeons, not psychiatrists, have the highest suicide rate of all physicians.

Impaired health status, and mental health, lower vitality and social functioning in women general practitioners in Sweden: A cross-sectional survey

“…A regional American study showed that female physicians had substantially higher lifetime rates of major depression (18). Moreover, other studies have shown high suicide rates for female physicians in Denmark (19), Finland (20) and Sweden (21).…”

The suicide mortality of working physicians and dentists

“…They also concluded that psychiatrists had a higher probability of suicide than other specialties. Other studies [2,16] have not found an excess suicide rate among psychiatrists, or they have found that general surgeons were most at risk. As mentioned earlier, our data cannot be divided into specialties.…”

Lebensqualität und Gesundheitsverhalten von berufstätigen Ärztinnen im Vergleich zu Ärzten

“…Überanstrengung durch den Beruf, das BurnoutSyndrom [4] und die psychiatrische Morbidität, insbesondere Depressionen sowie Alkohol-und/oder Tablettenmissbrauch angesehen werden. In einer schwedischen Untersuchung wurde für Ärztinnen eine 5,7fach erhöhte Rate im Vergleich zu anderen Frauen ermittelt [5]. Black gab an, dass 6,5 % aller Ärztinnen irgendwann im Laufe ihres Lebens Suizid begehen [6].…”