Xiao J, Guan S, Ge H, Tao N, Zhang Y, Jiang Y, Ning L, Liu J, Lian Y. J. Psychiatr. Res. 2016; 88: 1-8.
Affiliation
Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Nantong University, 8 Seyuan Road, Nantong, Jiangsu, China; Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Xinjiang Medical University, 393 Xinyi Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China. Electronic address: lianyulong444@163.com.
OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the relationship between changing psychosocial work conditions and suicidality. We examined whether or not changed work stressors and coping resources increase the risk of new-onset suicidal ideation.
METHODS: A total of 1384 workers from the Occupational Health Study of Petroleum Industry Workers were included in this study. A baseline evaluation of work-related stress and coping resources was followed by a final evaluation after 2 years. The changes in task stressors and coping resources were measured using the Occupation Stress Inventory-Revised Edition, and changes in job control and organizational stressors were evaluated using the Instrument for Stress-Related Job Analysis (v. 6.0).
RESULTS: Increased task stressors (RR = 2.87, 95% CI = 1.48, 6.15) and decreased coping resources (RR = 2.53, 95% CI = 1.31, 5.34) were associated with an elevated risk of new-onset suicidal ideation incidence. Effect magnitudes were higher than known suicidal risk factors. The main risk factors were increased role overload, increased role insufficiency, increased accident risk, and decreased recreation. Decreased coping resources also increased the negative effect of task stressors on new-onset suicidal ideation. However, increased coping resources did not decrease the effect.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that changes in work stressors and coping resources have a strong influence on new-onset suicidal ideation, highlighting the importance of preventive measures against adverse psychosocial work conditions and reduced coping resources for workplace suicide behavior prevention.