Study Finds Pharmacists at Higher Risk of Suicide than General Population
hubie writes:
Pharmacists at Higher Risk of Suicide than General Population, Study Finds:
[...] In the first study to report pharmacist suicide rates in the United States, researchers from Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California and UC San Diego School of Medicine found that suicide rates are higher among pharmacists compared to the general population, at an approximate rate of 20 per 100,000 pharmacists compared to 12 per 100,000 in the general population. [...]
The figures are based on data from 2003 through 2018, collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Violent Death Reporting System. Study authors expect numbers to be even higher in subsequent years due to the additional stressors of the pandemic, and are currently evaluating more recent data.
[...] For pharmacists, Lee said job problems reflect significant changes in the industry in recent years, with more pharmacists employed by hospitals and chain retailers than small, private pharmacies more common in the past. The responsibilities of a pharmacist have also grown considerably, with larger volumes of pharmaceuticals to dispense and increasing demands to administer vaccines and other health care services.
"Pharmacists have many more responsibilities now, but are expected to do them with the same resources and compensation they had 20 years ago," said Lee. "And with strict monitoring from state and federal regulatory boards, pharmacists are expected to perform in a fast-paced environment with perfect accuracy. It's difficult for any human to keep up with that pressure."
Journal Reference:
Kelly C. Lee, Gordon Y. Ye, Amanda Choflet, et al., Longitudinal analysis of suicides among pharmacists during 2003-2018, J Am Pharm Assoc, 2022
DOI: 10.1016/j.japh.2022.04.013
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