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Mortality rates among Swedish physicians:
a population‐based nationwide study with special reference to anesthesiologists
Author(s) -
Svärdsudd K.,
Wedel H.,
Gordh T.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1034/j.1399-6576.2002.461003.x
Subject(s) - medicine , american society of anesthesiologists , specialty , demography , mortality rate , confounding , population , hazard ratio , anesthesiology , proportional hazards model , family medicine , emergency medicine , confidence interval , surgery , environmental health , anesthesia , sociology
Background: Recent studies both in the UK and in the USA have indicated a higher mortality rate among anesthesiologists than among other physicians. We therefore decided to investigate the situation in Sweden during the years 1993–99. Methods: All 26 086 doctors in Sweden with a specialist licence in 1993, including those who were retired or who received one until 1999, were identified in official records and followed up regarding survival until 1999; generating approximately 179 300 person‐years. Results: Overall, 893 deaths occurred during the 7‐year follow up. Mean age at death was 72.9 years in the whole population, the lowest being 64.1 years among the anesthesiologists and the highest 77.0 among the pediatricians. However, there were large differences in the age and sex distribution among the specialities. For this reason a series of proportional hazard regression analyses (Cox's) of the mortality rates in the various speciality groups were performed, taking into account the influence of age and gender differences. After this procedure anesthesiologists had a 46% higher mortality rate and pediatricians a 24% lower mortality rate than other specialist groups; both deviations being statistically significant. All other specialities had a mortality risk within the expected range. Anesthesiologists tended to have higher rates than other specialists for most underlying causes of death. Conclusion: Anesthesiologists have a higher mortality rate than other specialities. The cause is so far unknown. However, it is unlikely to be caused by obvious confounders such as age, gender, or smoking habits. Other factors linked to occupational exposure should be investigated.