Work intensity in men and work-related emotional demands in women are associated with increased suicidality among persons attending primary care
Abstract
Background: A large proportion of persons died by suicide are employed at the time of death and work-related factors partly contribute to suicide risk. Our aim was to examine the association between multiple aspects of work organization and suicidal ideation in a study conducted in primary care.
Methods : Data came from a study of 2027 working patients attending a GP representative of patients in the Nord Pas-de-Calais region in France (April-August 2014). Suicidality was assessed using the MINI (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview). Six emergent worked-related factors were explored (work intensity, emotional demands, autonomy, social relationships at work, conflict of values, insecurity of work). Several covariates were considered: patient's and GP's characteristics, and area-level data (material and social deprivation, psychiatrist and GPs’ density, suicide attempts and suicide rates).
Results : 8.0% of participants reported suicidal ideation in the preceding month (7.5% of men and 8.6% of women, p = .03). In multivariate analyses adjusted for covariates, suicidality was significantly associated with work intensity (OR = 1.65; 95%CI [1.18–2.31]) in men and with work-related emotional demands (OR = 1.35; 95%CI [1.01–1.80]) in women. Area-level data were not associated.
Limitations : Our cross-sectional study cannot assess the direction of the relationships under study.
Conclusion : Our results emphasise a central role for GPs in suicide prevention among workers and highlight the importance of work-related factors with regard to suicidality in primary care.
Origin | Files produced by the author(s) |
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