Increased risk of suicide after occupational injury in Korea

Abstract

Objectives: This study sought to investigate the association between occupational injury and subsequent risk of suicide in Korea.

Methods: We linked compensation data for 775 537 workers injured at work during 2003-2014 with National Death Registry through 2015. Suicide among injured workers was compared with the economically active population in Korea separately for men and women by calculating SMRs, with 95% CIs.

Results: Injured workers showed higher mortality from suicide for both men (SMR=2.22, 95% CI 2.14 to 2.31) and women (SMR=2.11, 95% CI 1.81 to 2.45) compared with the economically active population in Korea.

Conclusions: Occupational injuries are associated with substantially elevated suicide risk in Korea. The results suggest the importance of social policies to protect and support injured workers as well as intensifying efforts to prevent workplace injuries.

Keywords: accident; disability; mortality; occupational safety.