Which Job Has The Highest Suicide Rate?

Suicide is a global phenomenon and among the Top 10 causes of death. Interestingly some occupations have much higher suicide rates than others. A recently published study investigated 12,312 suicides in the US. Here are the results:

Highest suicide rates for men:

• Farming, fishing, and forestry (90.5 suicides per 100,000 persons)

Highest suicide rates for women:

• Protective services (e.g., law enforcement officers and firefighters) (14.1 per 100,000)

• Legal (13.9 per 100,000)

• Healthcare practitioners and technical (13.3 per 100,000)

Lowest suicide rates for men and women:

• Education, training, and library

It might be surprising not to find top managers or other business related jobs right at the top. However, managers had the 10th highest suicide rate and they accounted for the “second largest percentage of suicide deaths overall”.

One could associate farming, fishing and forestry rather with a quiet nature life than a dangerous work environment. The authors are giving the following possible explanations: “job-related isolation, stressful work environments, and work-home imbalance, as well as socioeconomic inequities, including lower income, lower education level, and lack of access to health services.”

Moreover “previous research suggests that farmers’ chronic exposure to pesticides might affect the neurological system and contribute to depressive symptoms.

References: CDC