Rising health problem of Türkiye, healthcare professionals’ suicides in media

Abstract

It is known that the risk of suicide increases in professionals who are frequently exposed to intensive and stressful working conditions. Health professionals may be susceptible to depression and suicide due to occupational stressors besides risk factors such as violence against healthcare professionals, mobbing and burnout. However, it is noteworthy that there is no institutional data or statistics regarding suicides of healthcare professionals, in Türkiye. In this context, we aimed to reveal sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors related to suicides of health workers by evaluation cases subjected to media. Due to the lack of detailed institutional data, we investigated national media releases and reports between 01/01/2010 and 31/12/2020 in order to extract data regarding suicides of healthcare professionals. Obtained data was discussed in the light of the related literature. During the study period, a total of 138 healthcare professionals were reported to have committed suicide, out of which 69 (50%) were male and 69 (50%) were female. The mean age of the presented cases was 34.79 years. It was determined that 68 (48.28%) victims were medical doctors, and the most frequent suicide method was drug intoxication with a rate of 36.23% (n=50). Health workers’ suicides and dynamics have not been fully revealed and have not been studied sufficiently. In this regard, health policies and a professional approach need to be developed in the light of the information obtained through joint studies by Ministry of Health and Associations/Organizations of Healthcare professionals.

Keywords

• Healthcare professional
• suicidal risk factors
• suicide
• burnout
• media

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