Psychosocial Working Conditions and Suicide Ideation: Evidence From a Cross-Sectional Survey of Working Australians

J Occup Environ Med. 2016 Jun;58(6):584-7. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000700.

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the relationship between psychosocial working factors such as job control, job demands, job insecurity, supervisor support, and workplace bullying as risk factors for suicide ideation.

Methods: We used a logistic analytic approach to assess risk factors for thoughts of suicide in a cross-sectional sample of working Australians. Potential predictors included psychosocial job stressors (described above); we also controlled for age, gender, occupational skill level, and psychological distress.

Results: We found that workplace bullying or harassment was associated with 1.54 greater odds of suicide ideation (95% confidence interval 1.64 to 2.05) in the model including psychological distress. Results also suggest that higher job control and security were associated with lower odds of suicide ideation.

Conclusions: These results suggest the need for organizational level intervention to address psychosocial job stressors, including bullying.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Australia
  • Bullying
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Occupational Stress*
  • Risk Factors
  • Suicidal Ideation*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Workplace / psychology*
  • Young Adult