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Suicide attempts and job insecurity: a complex association

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

F Chastang ,
P Rioux ,
I Dupont ,
E Baranger ,
V Kovess  and
E Zariflan
F Chastang*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry
P Rioux
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry
I Dupont
Affiliation:
Emergency Department
E Baranger
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatric Hospital, 50100 Saint-Lo, France
V Kovess
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Caen University Hospital, 14033, Caen
E Zariflan
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry
*
*Correspondence and reprints: Centre Esquirol, CHU Côte de Nacre, 14033 Caen cedex, France.
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Summary

Objective:

Since Durkheim, epidemiological studies have revealed a significant, complex association between unemployment and suicidal behaviour. The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between parasuicide and job instability, including unemployment, French social measures against unemployment and occasional work.

Method:

Demographic data, personal and familial characteristics were collected in 541 suicide attempters.

Results:

Seventy-seven per cent were socially active, with 61.5% in regular employment, and 38.5% in precarious employment. The female-to-male ratio approached 2 in the securely employed sample, and fell to 1 for those with poor social and professional integration. Depression, parasuicide, and alcohol abuse were more common in the families of repeaters in secure employment. The impact of the familial psychiatric background was no longer significant in the job insecurity group. Fostering in childhood was a risk factor for repeat suicidal behaviour in the group with job insecurity.

Keywords

psychiatric emergencyparasuicidejob insecurityepidemiology
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 13 , Issue 7 , November 1998 , pp. 359 - 364
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier, Paris 1998

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