Citation

Järvholm B, Stenberg A. Occup. Environ. Med. 2002; 59(3): 199-200.

Affiliation

Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Occupational Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå Sweden. bengt.jarvholm@envmed.umu.se

Comment In:

Occup Environ Med 2002;.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11886952

PMCID

PMC1763632

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the risk of suicide in Swedish electricians employed in the construction industry. A few studies have indicated an increased risk of suicide for electricians in the construction industry and electricians exposed to electromagnetic fields. METHODS: This is a cohort study. Electricians were identified through a computerised register of construction workers who had participated in health examinations in 1971-92. In this register, 33,719 male electricians were identified together with a reference group consisting of 72,653 male glass or woodworkers. Through a linkage with the Swedish Death Register, the cause of death was identified to the end of 1997. Mortality as a result of suicide was also compared with the general population with adjustments for sex, age, and period. RESULTS: The risk of mortality from suicide was decreased for electricians (standardised mortality ratio (SMR) 0.58, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.47 to 0.71) and for the reference group of construction workers (SMR 0.81, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.91) compared with the general population. CONCLUSION: Contrary to some other studies, risk of suicide was not increased among electricians in the construction industry.

Language: en