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Gender and suicide risk among artists: a multivariate analysis
1Department of Criminal Justice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. sstack@cms.cc.wayne.edu
Suicide & Life-Threatening Behavior
|January 1, 1996
Summary
Artists face a significantly higher risk of suicide compared to non-artists. This elevated risk, even after accounting for gender, highlights potential occupational stressors contributing to artist suicide rates.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Sociology
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Previous research indicated potential mental health risks, including suicide, among male artists.
- Concerns existed that observed higher suicide rates in artists might be due to sampling bias, particularly as men generally have higher suicide risks than women.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between being an artist and suicide risk.
- To determine if the presumed elevated suicide risk in artists persists after controlling for demographic factors.
Main Methods:
- Logistic regression analysis was employed.
- Data from 21 states were utilized to compare suicide risk between artists and non-artists.
Main Results:
- Initial analysis revealed artists had a 270% higher risk of suicide than non-artists.
- After controlling for gender and sociodemographic variables, the suicide risk for artists remained significantly elevated at 125%.
Conclusions:
- Artists represent an occupational group with a heightened risk of suicide.
- Both psychiatric factors and work-related stressors likely contribute to the increased suicide risk observed in artists.