Suicidality among Finnish anaesthesiologists.
BACKGROUND
Suicide rates among physicians have constantly been reported to be higher than in the general population and anaesthesiologists appear to lead the suicide statistics among physicians.


METHODS
A cross-sectional questionnaire study was sent to all working Finnish anaesthesiologists (n=550) investigating their suicidality (ideation and/or planning and/or attempt). The response rate was 60%.


RESULTS
One in four had at some time seriously been thinking about suicide. Respondents with poor health (crude odds ratios 11.2 and 95% confidence interval 3.8-33.0), low social support (10.5, 4.0-27.9), and family problems (6.5, 3.4-12.5) had the highest risk of suicidality. The highest risks at work were conflicts with co-workers (4.1, 2.3-7.1) and superiors (2.1, 1.2-3.6), on-call-related stress symptoms (3.9, 1.9-8.3) and low organizational justice (1.9, 1.1-3.2). If a respondent had several risk factors, the risk of suicidality doubled with each cumulating factor.


CONCLUSIONS
The reported level of suicidal ideation among Finnish anaesthesiologists is worth concern. It should be of utmost importance to screen the risk factors and recognize suicidal physicians in order to help them. Interpersonal relationships, decision-making procedures, and on-call-burden should be focused on when aiming to prevent suicidality among physicians.
Lindfors
P M
PM
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, HUS, Helsinki, Finland. pirjo.lindfors@kolumbus.fi
Meretoja
O A
OA
Luukkonen
R A
RA
Elovainio
M J
MJ
Leino
T J
TJ
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003625:Data Collection; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012935:Social Justice; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology