How socioprofessional factors effect serious suicide attempts: a case–control study

Stephane Saillant; José Paz; Philippe Golay; Louise Ostertag; Alessandra Costanza; Bénédicte Van der Vaeren; Yves Dorogi; Irina Guseva Canu; Laurent Michaud

doi:10.23750/abm.v95i4.15309

How socioprofessional factors effect serious suicide attempts: a case–control study

Authors

Stephane Saillant Department of General and Liaison Psychiatry, Neuchatel Psychiatric Center, Switzerland
José Paz Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Philippe Golay Community Psychiatry Service, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
Louise Ostertag Liaison Psychiatry Service, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
Alessandra Costanza Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva (UNIGE), Geneva, Switzerland
Bénédicte Van der Vaeren Pole of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Liaison Psychiatry Service, Hospital Centre of Valais, Romand, Switzerland
Yves Dorogi Liaison Psychiatry Service, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
Irina Guseva Canu Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Laurent Michaud Liaison Psychiatry Service, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v95i4.15309

Keywords:

suicide prevention, suicide attempt, severe suicide attempt, socioprofessional factors, high skill level

Abstract

Background and aims: A serious suicide attempt (SSA) is defined as a suicidal act that requires subsequent hospitalization for more than 24 hours. As some occupations have been identified as being at an increased risk of suicide, we hypothesized that certain socioprofessional factors act as risk factors for SSAs. To test this hypothesis, we assessed whether occupational status, learned or current occupation, the skill level required for that occupation, and socioeconomic status differed between people who had made an SSA (i.e., cases) and those who had made a non-serious suicide attempt (i.e., controls). Research design and methods: We used data from a self-harm monitoring program in the French-speaking regions of Switzerland. Associations between SSAs and socioprofessional factors were assessed using univariate and multivariable logistic regression models. Results: The study sample comprised 320 cases and 1468 controls. Data on recent interruptions to employment, suffering at work, and the highest level of education reached differed significantly between the cases and controls. Differences in occupational status were of borderline statistical significance. The proportion of active employees was higher among controls than among cases, but data on cases’ occupation and education were more often unknown. High levels of professional skills and being employed in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences were associated with SSAs. Among these, architects, engineers, and related professionals were the most at risk in the univariate model, although multivariate analyses failed to confirm this. Conclusion: Findings suggested that some occupational variables were associated with a higher probability of SSAs. However, there were lots of missing values among the predictor variables. These issues could be remediated by improving training for team members involved in data collection and paying greater attention to the socioprofessional factors affecting suicidal behavior.