Where you work affects the risk of dying from suicide. for example, Oil and gas industry loggers, musicians and workers They have a much higher suicide rate than other populations.
However, on the contrary, some occupations have very low suicide rates. One of them is education. National and state data is based on US educators, including teachers, professors and librarians. The lowest chance of death from suicide.
We are a team of researchers at Arizona State University’s Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety. I’ll manage it Arizona’s violent death reporting systempart of the surveillance system sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with counterparts. All of the US 50, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.
Collect data on violent deaths, including suicide, thanks to agreements between local medical inspectors and law enforcement agencies.
When public health researchers look at suicide data, we often focus on high-risk populations and learn where interventions and prevention are most needed. However, we can learn from low-risk groups such as educators.
Why some occupations have high suicide rates
Over the past 25 years, suicide rates in the US have increased significantly.
The age adjustment rate for 2022 was 14.2 suicides per 100,000 peopleaccording to the National Center for Health Statistics, it rose from 10.9 20 years ago. Epidemiologists often adjust age data to allow for a more fair comparison of incidence between populations with different age distributions.
However, not all groups are equally affected. for example, Military veterans die by suicide at a higher rate than civiliansto do so Male, senior citizens, American Indians and Alaska indigenous peopleslist some demographics. For example, in 2022, the suicide rate among men was 23 suicide rates per 100,000 compared to 5.9 for women.
Suicide rates among working-age populations are also increasing. It has increased by 33% over the past 20 years, 32 suicides per 100,000 men, 8 women per 8 2021 and Workers in a Specific Occupation High risk of dying from suicide More than others.
Complex and diverse reasons. Workers under construction, the industry with the highest suicide rate, may face Bigger stigma gets help with mental health issuesPeople in other fields such as law enforcement, Be more exposed to traumatic experiencesit can hurt their mental health.
In short, some explanations are direct I’m tied to my worklow job safety, low autonomy and agency, imbalances in work effort and rewards, etc.
Other factors, such as occupation, are more indirect Demographic makeup or Types of personality that chooses occupation. Together, factors like these can help explain the suicide rates across the occupation.
Teachers, professors, librarians
On the other hand, educators have a relatively low risk of suicide.
Educator means worker Classified by the Bureau of Labor Statistics As “educational guidance and library” Teacher, private tutor, professor, librarian, similar occupations.
Around 11 male educators nationwide He died of suicide in 2021according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the numbers for women are about half. In contrast, the rates of male workers in art, design, entertainment, sports and media were 44.5 suicides per 100,000 people, and the rates of male workers in construction and extraction were 65.6.
Data in Arizona follows the same pattern. From 2016 to 2023, total 117 educators died of suicidemainly elementary and secondary school teachers. This is the incidence of a suicide rate of 7.3 per 100,000 educators – one-third of all Arizona workers and the lowest percentage of all occupations in the state.
Why educators have low suicide rates
So why do educators have a lower risk of such suicide? After all, the education profession certainly presents their own challenges. For example, many teachers have experienced it Massive burnoutwhich may cause Physical and Mental Health Issues Headache, fatigue, anxiety, depression, etc.
A good place to start is the composition of the occupational demographics. Disproportionately high share of educators Is it a woman or married? – – Related characteristics and Lower suicide rates.
Educators also tend to achieve high educational achievements. Indirectly protects against suicide By increasing socioeconomic status and employment potential.
Another factor is the work environment. Workplaces that provide increased access to deadly means such as firearms and drugs It is associated with a high suicide rate. This helps explain why the workers are Law enforcement, medical professionals, military It tends to show high rates.
The relatively low availability of deadly measures in schools may help keep educators low fees.
Furthermore, educator workplaces, usually schools and campuses, provide a wealth of opportunities to form strong social relationships. Improve your overall health and Help workers to cope with work stress. The unique and meaningful bonds that many educators form with students, administrators and fellow educators may provide support for boosting mental health.
Finally, based on more contextual information in the Arizona database, we found that the lower percentage of educators who died from suicide had problems with alcohol or substance abuse. The problems with alcohol and substance abuse can increase Suicidal thoughts and Other work-related risk factors Work anxiety and work-related injuries. In short, educators can live a healthier lifestyle compared to other workers.
Improving workers’ health
So, what can workers and employers in other occupations learn from now on, and how can they improve the health of workers?
One lesson is to develop skills to cope with work stress. All occupations can create stress and become negative It affects people’s minds and Physical health.
Identify the root causes of work stress and apply coping skills such as positive thinking, meditation, and goal setting Can have beneficial effects.
It is also important to develop social networks in the workplace. Quality social relationships can improve health to some extent Equivalent to quitting smoking.
Social relationships provide Tangible and intangible support It helps to establish a sense of purpose and identity. This applies to outside the workplace as well. Therefore, promoting work-life balance is one way an organization can help its employees.
Organizations can also strive to develop a positive workplace culture. One aspect of such a culture is established A sense of meaning and purpose At work.
For educators,This feature may help offset some of the challenges of the occupation. Other aspects Evaluate employee hard work, identify and expand employee strengths, including not creating toxic workplaces.
It is noteworthy that ongoing research on occupational health is important. In the educator context, more research is needed to understand how risks differ between specific groups. Despite the low overall risk, people and demographics are not affected by suicide, and all suicides are preventable.
If this story raises concerns or you need to talk to someone, Browse this list to find a 24/7 crisis hotline in your country and seek help.
Jordan BatchellerResearch Analyst at the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety, Arizona State University; Charles Max KatzDirector of the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety, Arizona State Universityand Taylor CoxProgram Coordinator, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University
This article has been republished conversation Under the Creative Commons license. Please read Original article.
