Suicide & Occupation (UK)

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Suicide & Occupation (UK)

Suicide and Occupation

The Office for National Statistics has analysed the suicides of people in different occupations using the Proportional Mortality Ratio or PMR. This uses the proportion of total deaths due to suicide in a particular group and compares this figure to an average for the overall population. The figure for the PMR gives an indication of suicide risk in a particular group. The average figure is 100, therefore a PMR of 200 indicates twice the average risk. The male and female occupations with the highest Proportional Mortality Ratios from suicide are given below: [27]

Men aged 16-64	1982-1992		Women aged 16-59	1982-1992
Occupation	PMR	No. of Deaths	Occupation	PMR	No. of Deaths
Vets	351	34	Government Inspectors	411	7
Pharmacists	201	42	Vets	401	5
Dental Practitioners	199	39	Medical Practitioners	334	52
Farmers	175	487	Ambulance Women	318	5
Forestry Workers	168	50	Pharmacists	205	19
Medical Practitioners	162	140	Physiotherapists	173	12
Librarian, Information Officers	157	29	Nurses	151	533
Chemical Scientists / Engineers	150	79	Other Health Professionals	150	29
Hotel Porters	138	43	Literary / Artistic Professions	142	23
University Academic Staff	130	44	Teachers, Higher Education	122	23

The numbers of suicides in some occupational groups, particularly for women, are very low, resulting in extreme figures for Proportional Mortality Ratios. However, when taking the low numbers into account it can be seen that the caring and agricultural professions show the highest risks of dying by suicide.

Suicide and Unemployment

Employment is generally believed to have a positive effect on the well-being of those of working age. Research has shown that "earned income enhances self-esteem and a sense of mastery which, in turn, increases overall well-being". [28]

The magnitude of this effect increases with the extent to which individuals identify their own self-esteem in terms of bread-winning roles and responsibilities.

There has been much debate over the role of unemployment in suicide and causal links have not been established, however, the rate of attempted suicide amongst the unemployed has been shown to be 10 times as high as for people in work. [29]

http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Factsheets/Suicide/

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