Drug-caused deaths among health care professionals: New insights revealed
These deaths were more likely to involve females in their mid-40s , with a mental health condition, professional and/or personal stress and the intent to self-harm. With the aim of identifying best approaches to health care professionals' drug use and their mental health care needs, the major study investigated drug-caused deaths of health care professionals including physicians, nurses, dentists, psychologists and psychiatrists, physiotherapists, pharmacists, paramedics and veterinarians. A total of 404 drug-caused HCP deaths were reported to Australian coroners during this investigated timeframe, averaging 37 deaths per year. Head of the Drug Harm Prevention Unit at Monash's Department of Forensic Medicine, Dr Jennifer Pilgrim said the study found a significant association between specific professions and drugs of choice. "The mortality rate was highest in veterinarians, of which most involved death by suicide using potent barbiturates usually used in animal eu...