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Cited by 387Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesWorkplace Health and Well-beingHomicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 73 of the 75 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Suicide by occupation: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Open access
Milner, Allison, Spittal, Matthew J., Pirkis, Jane, LaMontagne, Anthony D.·2013·British Journal of Psychiatry
DOI 10.1192/bjp.bp.113.128405
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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 machine operators and deck crew (RR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.22–2.60) and agricultural workers (RR = 1.64, 95% CI 1.19–2.28). Results suggested a stepwise gradient in risk, with the lowest skilled occupations being at greater risk of suicide than the highest skill-level group. Conclusions: This is the first comprehensive meta-analytical review of suicide and occupation. There is a need for future studies to investigate explanations for the observed skill-level differences, particularly in people employed in lower skill-level groups. Declaration on interest: None.

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Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. 2008, ISCO-08 structure (Excel)
  2. Ponteva, 1983, Aspects of the suicide of conscripts in the Finnish Defence Forces, Psychiatria Fennica Suppl, 2, 97
  3. Fear, 2003, Suicide and Open Verdict Deaths among Males in the UK Regular Armed Forces: Comparison with the UK Civilian Population and the US Military
  4. 2008, International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-08) – Conceptual Framework
  5. Greenland, 1998, Modern Epidemiology
  6. 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0274(199912)36:6<630::AID-AJIM5>3.0.CO;2-6 · DOI

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Metadata

Authors
Milner, A., Spittal, M. J., Pirkis, J., & LaMontagne, A. D.
Affiliations
The University of Melbourne (AU)
Corresponding author
Milner, Allison
ORCID
Venue
British Journal of Psychiatry
Publisher
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Published
2013-12
Volume
203
Issue
6
Pages
409-416
ISSN
  • 0007-1250 (ISSN-L)
  • 1472-1465
DOI
10.1192/bjp.bp.113.128405
OpenAlex
W2159544002
Cited by
387
References
75
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 46 · 2021: 39 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 39 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 1
FWCI
2.34
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 1493 d)
Locations
  • The British Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Own your potential (DEAKIN) (submittedVersion)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Medical Research Council
  • National Health and Medical Research Council (546248)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Workplace Health and Well-being
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
Keywords
suicide, occupational risk, occupational skill level, low-skilled workers, agricultural labor, machine operators, labourers, working-age population
MeSH terms
Employment, Humans, Occupations, Regression Analysis, Risk Factors, Social Class, Suicide, Odds Ratio, Sex Distribution

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