Female physicians continue to face elevated risk of suicide --[Reported by Umva mag]

August 30, 2024—Though fatal suicides have been decreasing among physicians, female doctors remain at an elevated risk, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

The study was published on August 21 in The BMJ. Eva Schernhammer, adjunct professor of epidemiology at Harvard Chan School, served as corresponding author.

As an occupational group, physicians have long been linked to a higher risk of death by suicide. But evidence has been mixed on what the risk is and how it varies between genders and across countries. To get a clearer picture of the problem, the researchers conducted a meta-analysis, analyzing data on fatal physician suicides collected in 39 studies from 20 countries between 1935 and 2020. The researchers then performed an additional analysis on the 10 most recent studies.

The meta-analysis of all studies found that male physicians faced a 5% elevated risk of fatal suicide and female physicians faced a 76% elevated risk compared to the general population. The second analysis found that rates of fatal suicide among doctors have decreased significantly in recent years—but that female physicians are still at a 24% elevated risk compared to the general population.

The researchers noted some limitations to the meta-analysis, including a lack of studies conducted on physician suicides outside of Europe, the United States, and Australasia. Nonetheless, they said, the findings highlight the need for additional research into physician mental health—particularly across cultures and in the context of major health events like COVID-19—and prevention efforts such as incorporating personal mental health awareness into medical training.

Read the study: Suicide rates among physicians compared with the general population in studies from 20 countries: gender stratified systematic review and meta-analysis

Read a HealthDay article about the study: Female Doctors Face Higher Risk for Suicide

Learn more:

How to help a troubled loved one with a gun (Harvard Chan School news)

Image: iStock/Begimai Imamidin kyzy

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