Incidence of Suicide Higher for Female Physicians Than Nonphysicians
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, March 7, 2025 -- Female physicians in the United States have a higher incidence of suicide than female nonphysicians, according to a study published online Feb. 26 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Hirsh Makhija, from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine in La Jolla, and colleagues estimated the national incidence of male and female physician suicide and analyzed associated factors in a retrospective cohort study. The analyses included 448 physician and 97,467 general population suicides.
The researchers found that the rates of suicide were higher for female physicians than nonphysicians in 2017 and 2019, with higher overall 2017 to 2021 suicide risk. Lower 2017 to 2021 suicide risk was seen for male physicians versus male nonphysicians. Physicians had higher odds of depressed mood compared with the general population and including all available jurisdiction data. They also had higher odds of mental health, job, and legal problems preceding suicide and use of poisoning and sharp instruments. Higher odds of positive toxicology for caffeine; poison; cardiovascular agents; benzodiazepines; anxiolytics, nonbenzodiazepines, or hypnotics; and drugs not prescribed for home use were also seen for physicians.
"U.S. female physicians were at higher risk of suicide than the general female population," the authors write. "Comprehensive and multimodal suicide prevention strategies remain warranted for physicians, with proactive consideration for those experiencing mental health issues, job problems, legal issues, and diversion investigations."
Two authors disclosed ties to the biotechnology industry.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted March 2025
Read this next
Psilocybin Plus Psychotherapy Offers Lasting Benefit in Cancer, Depression
MONDAY, June 16, 2025 -- For cancer patients with a major depressive disorder, a single dose of psilocybin combined with psychological support can provide sustained relief for...
Adverse Childhood Experiences Tied to Endometriosis Risk
FRIDAY, June 13, 2025 -- Early life adversity is associated with an increased risk of being diagnosed with endometriosis later in life, according to a study published online June...
Shorter Leukocyte Telomere Length Linked to Higher Incidence of Age-Related Brain Diseases
THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 -- Individuals with shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL) have a higher incidence of stroke, dementia, and late-life depression (LLD), individually and...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.