Occupation and Suicide Among Women

Abstract

During the 1970s suicide literature suggested that suicide rates for women were becoming similar to those for men (as measured by a decreasing ratio of men to women rates). Recent suicide literature, however, suggests that there is an increasing sex ratio except for women between 35 and 64. The lower age limit at which there continues to be less difference between the sexes (as measured by a decreasing ratio of men to women rates) coincides with the time when there is increased labor force participation among women. The quality of labor force environments of women is seen as a possible correlate of suicide. This paper describes an epidemiological examination of suicide statistics of 623 women in four U. S. states for the years 1975-1979, who had been employed in highly traditional, moderately traditional, and nontraditional occupations. Women, in general, had higher suicide rates in moderately traditional occupations. Rates were lowest in highly traditional occupations. Race-specific analyses showed that the occupational category with the highest proportion of white women was the nontraditional one. Nonwhite women had the highest proportion of suicides in highly traditional occupations. Implications for nursing were discussed.