Abstract
Background:There is growing evidence to suggest that ambulance service staff may be at increased risk for suicide; however, few studies have explored risk factors within this occupational group.Aim:To investigate factors commonly associated with ambulance staff suicides.Method:Eleven ambulance service trusts across the United Kingdom were asked to return details of staff suicides occurring between January 2014 and December 2015. Coroners were then contacted to request permission to review the records of the deceased.Results:Fifteen suicides were identified (73% male, mean age 42 years). Inquest data were available on 12 deaths. The most common method used was hanging. Possible risk factors identified included recent return to work following a period of sickness absence, poor mental health, relationship and debt problems, history of self-harm and the loss of a driving licence/change in job role.Conclusion:Identifying characteristics of suicide among this high-risk group is important to inform the development of suicide prevention initiatives. Additional research is needed with an adequate control group to further explore the risk factors identified in this study.
Highlights
There are marked variations in suicide risk between different occupations
Identifying characteristics of suicide among this high-risk group is important to inform the development of suicide prevention initiatives
Additional research is needed with an adequate control group to further explore the risk factors identified in this study
Summary
There are marked variations in suicide risk between different occupations. Healthcare professionals, nurses, have been found to have an elevated risk compared to other occupational groups (Alderson, Parent-R ocheleau, & Mishara, 2015; Hawton, Agerbo, Simkin, Platt, & Mellanby, 2011; Meltzer, Griffiths, Brock, Rooney, & Jenkins, 2008; Office for National Statistics, 2017). Recent figures from the United Kingdom and Australia have demonstrated that ambulance personnel are at increased risk (Milner, Witt, Maheen, & L aMontagne, 2017b; Office for National Statistics, 2017). (There were too few suicides among female paramedics to reliably estimate risk.) among male health professionals (including dentists, doctors and nurses), paramedics were the only group that had evidence of a heightened suicide risk (Office for National Statistics, 2017). In a UK survey of over 1300 AS staff, problems at work were often cited as the main cause of mental health problems These included excessive workload, pressure from management, long hours, changing shift patterns and exposure to traumatic incidents (Mind, 2015). There is growing evidence to suggest that ambulance service staff may be at increased risk for suicide; few studies have explored risk factors within this occupational group
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