Suicide by occupation: does access to means increase the risk?

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Suicide rates vary significantly across different professions.
• Understanding occupational risks is crucial for targeted prevention strategies.
• Previous research has focused on specific high-risk groups, but a comprehensive 30-year analysis in New Zealand was lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate suicide rates among specific occupational groups in New Zealand over a 30-year period (1973-2004).
• To identify occupations with potentially higher suicide risks due to access to or familiarity with specific suicide methods.
• To analyze the methods used in suicides across different occupational groups.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of suicide data from New Zealand, excluding 1996-1997.
• Calculation of crude mortality rates and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for dentists, doctors, farmers, hunters/cullers, military personnel, nurses, pharmacists, police, and veterinarians.
• Comparison of suicide methods (e.g., poisoning, firearms) used by occupational groups versus the general employed population.

Main Results:

• Most investigated occupations did not exhibit elevated suicide risks; some had lower risks than the general employed population.
• Elevated SMRs were observed for male nurses (1.7), female nurses (1.3), male hunters and cullers (3.0), and female pharmacists (2.5).
• Nurses, doctors, and pharmacists were more likely to use poisoning, while farmers and hunters/cullers were more likely to use firearms.

Conclusions:

• While access to lethal means is a factor, other protective elements may mitigate suicide risk in certain occupations.
• Nurses, female pharmacists, and hunters/cullers represent groups with elevated suicide risks that warrant further attention in New Zealand.
• Findings highlight the need for profession-specific suicide prevention initiatives, considering both method access and other contributing factors.