Suicides among doctors and health care workers: review of literature

According to the World Health Organization, suicide (SU) accounts for almost 1.5% of all deaths worldwide, and it is one of the 20 main causes of death. Suicidal behavior varies markedly between sexes, age groups and occupational groups, which underlines its possible etiological heterogeneity. The aim of the study was to summarize information about prevalence, factors associated with the risk of SU among doctors and health care workers, as well as the ways to prevent their suicidal behavior. According to different reviews, the level of SU for doctors and health care workers is 1.5-4 times higher than for representatives of a number of other professions and the population at large. Moreover, this is typical for both women and men working in health care. The level of SU for health professionals with easy access to medicines is higher than among those who do not have such an opportunity. It is no coincidence that poisoning is one of the main methods of SU among health care workers...