Suicide by occupation: Systematic review and meta-analysis

A Milner; MJ Spittal; J Pirkis; AD LaMontagne

Journal article

Suicide by occupation: Systematic review and meta-analysis

A Milner, MJ Spittal, J Pirkis, AD LaMontagne

British Journal of Psychiatry | Published : 2013

DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.113.128405

Abstract

Background: Previous research has shown that those employed in certain occupations, such as doctors and farmers, have an elevated risk of suicide, yet little research has sought to synthesise these findings across working-age populations. Aims: To summarise published research in this area through systematic review and meta-analysis. Method: Random effects meta-analyses were used to calculate a pooled risk of suicide across occupational skill-level groups. Results: Thirty-four studies were included in the meta-analysis. Elementary professions (e.g. labourers and cleaners) were at elevated risk compared with the working-age population (rate ratio (RR) = 1.84, 95% CI 1.46-2.33), followed by mac..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Matthew Spittal Author

Jane Pirkis Author

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Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council Capacity Building Grant in Population Health and Health Services Research

Funding Acknowledgements

The National Health and Medical Research Council Capacity Building Grant in Population Health and Health Services Research (ID: 546248) provided salary support for A.D.M.