A team of researchers, led by the University of Vienna, have found that although suicide rates among doctors as a whole have fallen over time, with risks varying across different regions and countries, the suicide risk for female doctors is still significantly higher than when compared to the general population.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, reviewed 39 previous studies from 20 different countries, with no overall risk increase for male doctors compared to the general population.
However, it was a different story for female doctors, with the study finding that the risk was 76 per cent higher than the general population, the Guardian reports.
It was concluded: “This study highlights the ongoing need for suicide prevention measures among physicians. We found evidence for increased suicide rates in female physicians compared with the general population, and for male physicians compared with other professionals.
“The recent covid-19 pandemic has put additional strain on the mental health of physicians, potentially exacerbating risk factors for suicide such as depression and substance use.”
Further analysis of the data found that although there was no overall increase of risk among male doctors compared to the general population, it was found that this demographic did have a higher risk compared to other professional groups that had similar socioeconomic status.
Commenting on the findings in an associated editorial, experts from charity Doctors in Distress wrote that these high rates of suicide among female doctors need to be addressed urgently, with more studies carried out to find contributing factors, as well as characterising those most at risk and developing gender-specific interventions to protect mental health.
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