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The Suicide Rate Among Psychiatrists Revisited
Author(s) -
Bergman Jerry
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
suicide and life‐threatening behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.544
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1943-278X
pISSN - 0363-0234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1943-278x.1979.tb00440.x
Subject(s) - suicide rates , specialty , psychiatry , psychology , population , medicine , suicide prevention , poison control , medical emergency , environmental health
A review of the literature which examined the suicide rate among psychiatrists and other doctors was made. Particular attention was given to statistical and methodological problems. Common problems include small research sampling, inappropriate comparisons, lack of controls for age, sex, or other relevant factors, interpolating rates from a level per 10,000 to a level per 100,000, and inclusion of a number of unwarranted assumptions. The review did not find evidence that the suicide rate among psychiatrists is higher compared to the population as a whole; nor is there any evidence that the rates of any medical specialty are above average, controlling for the relevant variables. The materials reviewed included all published studies. In order adequately to assess the suicide rate among psychiatrists, a systematic and extensive study must be made, controlling for the relevant methodological variables.