Citation

Pirnia B. Lancet Psychiatry 2024; 11(6): e411.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/S2215-0366(24)00111-1

PMID

38760109

Abstract

Suicide is a serious but preventable public health concern worldwide. Within the last decade, attention to physician suicide has increased. Physicians have worryingly high rates of suicide compared to the general population, with a meta-analysis from 2019 reporting a global prevalence of 25·5% for lifetime suicidal thoughts, 9·8% for the past 12 months, and 8% for recent suicidal thoughts among medical professionals.3

Suicide among medical residents has become an urgent problem in Iran. A cross-sectional survey found that about 34% of medical residents in Iran have experienced suicidal ideation. A report in The Lancet alleged that there is an annual average of 13 deaths by suicide among medical residents. Given the number of medical residents in Iran is about 15 000, that suggests an alarming incidence of 100 per 100 000, compared to 6·5 per 100 000 for the general population.

Medical residents in Iran work long shifts and are poorly paid. Residents are forbidden by law to practice medicine and establish a practice outside government hospitals. Also, many health-care professionals encounter aggression and violence in hospitals. Physicians might refrain from seeking professional help due to stigma or believe that others might consider them incompetent.

A range of initiatives, from prevention to recovery, should be implemented at personal and organisational levels under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Medical Council, and Supreme Council of Insurance. The lack of balance between working hours, work pressure, and professional responsibility with income is a major concern that highlights the necessity of prioritising the livelihood, welfare, and accommodation needs of medical residents. ...

Language: en

Keywords

*Internship and Residency/statistics & numerical data; *Suicide/statistics & numerical data/psychology; Adult; Female; Humans; Iran/epidemiology; Male