Suicide among Physicians

Abstract

A review of the international literature of the past 75 years of suicide among physicians indicates that (1) suicide among physicians is high, (2) suicide among female physicians is higher than among male physicians, (3) physician suicide varies from country to country, with the highest rate among the Danes, the next among British and the next among U.S.A. physicians, (4) there is a high incidence of psychiatric morbidity, alcoholism and drug addiction among physicians who suicide, (5) as in suicides among other groups, there are significant variable correlates of age, gender, medical school affiliation, geographic residence, type of medical practice and specialty, the state of physical and emotional health, the use of alcohol and drugs, and professional and psychosocial factors, and (6) preventive action is both possible and desirable.