• Adel Elkbuli, Mason Sutherland, Aaron Shepherd, Kyle Kinslow, Huazhi Liu, Darwin Ang, and Mark McKenney.
• Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, Kendall Regional Medical Center, Miami, Florida.
• Ann. Surg. 2022 Nov 1; 276 (5): e370-e376.

Background And ObjectivesWith the rate of physician suicide increasing, more research is needed to implement adequate prevention interventions. This study aims to identify trends and patterns in physician/surgeon suicide and the key factors influencing physician suicide. We hope such information can highlight areas for targeted interventions to decrease physician suicide.MethodsReview of Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) for 2003 to 2017 of physician and dentists dying by suicide. Twenty-eight medical, surgical, and dental specialties were included.ResultsNine hundred five reported suicides were reviewed. Physician suicides increased from 2003 to 2017. Majority surgeons' suicides were middle-aged, White males. Orthopedic surgeons had the highest prevalence of suicide among surgical fields (28.2%). Black/African American surgeons were 56% less likely [odds ratio (OR) = 0.44, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.06-3.16] and Asian/Pacific Islander were 438% more likely (OR = 5.38, 95% CI: 2.13-13.56) to die by suicide. Surgeons were 362% more likely to have a history of a mental disorder (OR = 4.62, 95% CI: 2.71-7.85), were 139% more likely to use alcohol (OR = 2.39, 95% CI: 1.36-4.21), and were 289% more likely to have experienced civil/legal issues (OR = 3.89, 95% CI: 1.36-11.11).ConclusionsThe prevalence of physician suicide increased over the 2003 to 2017 time-frame with over a third of deaths occurring from 2015 to 2017. Among surgeons, orthopedics has the highest prevalence of reported suicide.Risk factors for surgeon suicide include Asian/Pacific Islander race/ethnicity, older age, history of mental disorder, alcohol use, and civil/legal issues.Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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