Suicide deaths among diagnostic medical radiation workers in South Korea, 1996-2017
Journal
Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Journal Volume
77
Journal Issue
10
Pages
675-680
Date Issued
2020
Author(s)
Abstract
Objectives Suicide is a leading cause of death in the working-age population. We investigated suicide mortality among diagnostic medical radiation workers in relation to their demographic and occupational factors in South Korea. Methods The study population consisted of all diagnostic medical radiation workers enrolled in the National Dosimetry Registry from 1996 to 2011. The registry data were linked with mortality data through the end of 2017. We calculated age-standardised suicide rates, standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) and rate ratios (RRs) by demographic and occupational factors. Results A total of 207 suicides were identified among 94 367 medical radiation workers, exhibiting a suicide rate of 14.0 per 100 000 person-years. Compared with the general population, suicide rates were lower for both male and female workers (SMR 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42 to 0.57; SMR 0.54, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.70, respectively). Similarly, decreased SMRs were observed across job titles and other work-related factors. However, a shorter duration of employment was positively associated with RRs for suicide; risks were 2.74 (95% CI 1.56 to 4.81) and 4.66 (95% CI 1.53 to 14.20) times higher in male and female workers with less than 1 year of employment, respectively, than in those with at least 10 years of employment. Conclusions Diagnostic medical radiation workers in South Korea showed lower suicide rates than in the general population. However, a shorter duration of employment was associated with higher risk of suicide. Suicide prevention efforts could target workers engaged in short-term employment. ?
Subjects
epidemiology; health care workers; mortality studies
SDGs
Other Subjects
adult; Article; demography; dosimetry; employment; female; female worker; human; major clinical study; male; medical personnel; mortality rate; priority journal; radiologist; South Korea; South Korean; standardized mortality ratio; suicide; adverse event; cause of death; epidemiology; health care personnel; psychology; radiotherapy; register; suicide; time factor; Adult; Cause of Death; Female; Health Personnel; Humans; Male; Radiotherapy; Registries; Republic of Korea; Suicide; Time Factors
Publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
Type
journal article