Causes of Death Among Health Care Professionals in the United States

Kobo, Ofer; Abramov, Dmitry; Volgman, Annabelle Santos; Mieres, Jennifer H; Wijeysundera, Harindra C.; Van Spall, Harriette G.C.; Mamas, Mamas A.

Abstract

Specific causes of mortality among various types of health care professionals (HCPs), including those characterized by age, gender, and race, have not been well described. The National Occupational Mortality Surveillance data for deaths in 26 US states in 1999, 2003–2004, and 2007–2014 were queried to address this question. Proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs) were calculated to compare specific causes of mortality among HCPs compared with those among the general population. HCPs were less likely to die from heart disease (PMR 93, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 92–94), alcoholism (PMR 62, 95% CI 57–68), drugs (PMR 80, 95% CI 70–90), and more likely to die from cerebrovascular disease (PMR 105, 95% CI 104–107) and diabetes (PMR 107, 95% CI 105–109). HCPs aged 18–64 years were more likely to die by suicide (PMR 104, 95% CI 101–107), whereas those aged 65–90 years were less likely to die by suicide (PMR 84, 95% CI 77–91), with physicians (PMR 251, 95% CI 229–275) and other HCPs having high PMR for suicide. Among all HCPs, suicide PMR was similarly increased, whereas heart disease PMRs are similarly decreased among Black compared with those among White HCPs and those among male compared with those among female HCPs. HCPs as a group and specific types of HCPs demonstrate causes of mortality that differ in important ways from the general population. Race and gender-based trends in PMRs for key causes of mortality among HCPs suggest that employment in a health care field may not alter race and gender disparities noted among the general population.

Citation

Kobo, O., Abramov, D., Volgman, A. S., Mieres, J. H., Wijeysundera, H. C., Van Spall, H. G., & Mamas, M. A. (2023). Causes of Death Among Health Care Professionals in the United States. Population Health Management, 26(5), 294-302. https://doi.org/10.1089/pop.2023.0070

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 29, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Aug 29, 2023
• Publication Date: Oct 10, 2023
• Deposit Date: Sep 11, 2023
• Journal: Population Health Management
• Print ISSN: 1942-7891
• Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 26
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 294-302
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/pop.2023.0070
• Keywords: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Health Policy, Leadership and Management, health care workers, mortality, suicide, causes of death, physicians