This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the prevalence of suicide and suicidal ideation among U.S. surgeons, with analysis of risk subgroups (e.g., by sex, specialty, career stage) and temporal trends across available studies.
The meta-analysis quantified pooled prevalence estimates of suicide and suicidal ideation among U.S. surgeons; specific numerical results (pooled rates, confidence intervals, subgroup differences) were not extractable from the provided source text.
Findings are limited to U.S. surgeons and may not generalize globally; heterogeneity across included studies in definitions and measurement tools for suicidal ideation is a likely concern; reliance on self-report data introduces underreporting bias given stigma in surgical culture.
Surgeons represent a high-risk occupational group for suicide; surgical programs and hospital systems should implement structured mental health screening and reduce barriers to help-seeking. Awareness of risk subgroups identified in this analysis can guide targeted intervention efforts.
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