title: Suicide by health professionals: a retrospective mortality study in Australia, 2001-2012.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report age-standardised rates and methods of suicide by health professionals, and to compare these with suicide rates for other occupations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective mortality study.
  
  
  METHODS
  All intentional self-harm cases recorded by the National Coronial Information System during the period 2001-2012 were initially included. Cases were excluded if the person was unemployed at the time of death, if their employment status was unknown or occupational information was missing, or if they were under 20 years of age at the time of death. Suicide rates were calculated using Australian Bureau of Statistics population-level data from the 2006 census.
  
  
  METHODS
  Suicide rates and method of suicide by occupational group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Suicide rates for female health professionals were higher than for women in other occupations (medical practitioners: incidence rate ratio [IRR], 2.52; 95% CI, 1.55-4.09; P < 0.001; nurses and midwives: IRR, 2.65; 95% CI, 2.22-3.15; P < 0.001). Suicide rates for male medical practitioners were not significantly higher than for other occupations, but the suicide rate for male nurses and midwives was significantly higher than for men working outside the health professions (IRR, 1.50; 95% CI 1.12-2.01; P = 0.006). The suicide rate for health professionals with ready access to prescription medications was higher than for those in health professions without such access or in non-health professional occupations. The most frequent method of suicide used by health professionals was self-poisoning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate the need for targeted prevention of suicide by health professionals.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Population Health Research, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC allison.milner@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Allison J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Milner
authors.affiliation: Centre for Population Health Research, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC.
authors.forename: Humaira
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maheen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC.
authors.forename: Marie M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Bismark
authors.affiliation: Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Spittal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D055815:Young Adult