The impact of fathers' physical and psychosocial work conditions on attempted and completed suicide among their children.
BACKGROUND
Adverse employment experiences, particularly exposure to unemployment and the threat of unemployment, have been strongly associated with several adverse mental and physical health outcomes including suicide. However, virtually no research has been conducted on the trans-generational impact of parental working conditions on attempted or completed suicide among their children.


METHODS
We conducted a nested case control study based on a cohort, gathered in the western Canadian province of British Columbia, of male sawmill workers and a second cohort of their children. Physical and psychosocial work conditions to which fathers were exposed during the first 16 years of their children's lives, measured using the demand/control model, were linked to hospital suicide records (attempted and completed) among their children.


RESULTS
Two hundred and fifty children in the cohort attempted or committed suicide between 1985 and 2001. Multivariate models, with partial control for father's mental health outcomes prior to their child's suicide demonstrate, 1) a strong association between low duration of father's employment at a study sawmill and attempted suicide for their male children, 2) elevated odds for attempted suicide among female children of fathers' employed in a sawmill job with low control and, 3) a strong association between fathers in jobs with low psychological demand and completed suicides among male children.


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure of fathers to adverse psychosocial work conditions during the first 16 years of their children's life was associated with greater odds for attempted and completed suicide among their children.
Department of Health Care and Epidemiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. ostry@interchange.ubc.ca
Ostry
O
Aleck
Maggi
M
Stefania
Tansey
T
James
Dunn
D
James
Hershler
H
Ruth
Chen
C
Lisa
Louie
L
Amber
Hertzman
H
Clyde
D000293:Adolescent; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D016468:Forestry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012042:Registries; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000078329:Workforce; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology