Occupation and suicide: Colorado, 2004-2006

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Public Health Surveillance
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Occupation is a known risk factor for suicide.
• Workplace changes necessitate periodic updates on high-risk occupations.
• Understanding current suicide trends by occupation is crucial for prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe suicide rates by occupation, sex, and method in Colorado.
• To identify specific occupational groups with elevated suicide risks.
• To inform the design of targeted suicide prevention programs.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Colorado Violent Death Reporting System (COVDRS) for suicides between 2004-2006.
• Calculated age-adjusted suicide rates by occupation, sex, and race.
• Analyzed suicide methods across different occupational categories.

Main Results:

• Men generally had higher suicide rates than women, except in computer and mathematics occupations.
• Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations exhibited the highest age-adjusted suicide rates for men (475.6/100,000).
• Construction and extraction workers showed the highest suicide rates for women (134.3/100,000) and higher rates of suicide by hanging.
• Firearm use was highest in farming, fishing, and forestry; poisoning in healthcare; and hanging in construction/extraction.

Conclusions:

• Significant variations in suicide methods exist across occupations.
• Occupation-specific suicide data can guide the development of effective prevention interventions.
• Tailored prevention strategies may reduce work-related suicide risks.