ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate attitudes toward suicide and personal experiences with suicide among doctors and health care workers in Korea. METHODS: A total of 622 participants were included in this study and 617 participants completed a self-report questionnaire that included 31 items; 184 doctors and 433 health care workers. A questionnaire was used for assessment of demographic characteristics, attitude toward suicide, and personal experiences with suicide in doctors and health care workers. The collected data were evaluated using chi-square and binary logistic regression analyses. A probability level of p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: More permissive attitudes toward suicide showed an association with doctor group and non-religious group (p<0.05). Religious group and older age showed an association with a more negative attitude (p<0.05). The lifetime and one-year prevalence rates of suicidal ideation were 31.4% and 9.8%, respectively, in all participants. The lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation was higher in the religious group (33.9%, p<0.05). Among all participants, 32.1% reported loss of a patient by suicide, and 29.9% reported contact with a patient at risk of suicide or with depression. In addition, 72.5% reported contact with a depressed patient. CONCLUSION: Attitudes toward suicide among doctors and health care workers were shown to differ significantly between age, gender, doctor group and health care worker group, religious group and non-religious group. The reported level of suicidal ideation among doctors and health care workers is worthy of concern. Research is needed for establishment of effective prevention strategies on the basis of our findings.