Male Suicide
Male suicide is a growing health concern worldwide and more needs to be done in order to protect men from the devastating risk of suicide. Globally, the World Health Organisation reported that males are more likely to die by suicide than females, and this is also the case in Scotland (National Records of Scotland). These findings indicate that there is a strong relationship between being male and dying by suicide. Indeed, research conducted by the Samaritans indicated that males in the lowest social class living in the most deprived areas are 10 times more likely to die by suicide than males in the highest social classes from the most affluent areas. As well as this, men who are middle aged are at higher risk of suicide than men of other ages.
There is limited research on male suicide which is surprising given that the suicide rate is higher in males than in females. This lack of research was illustrated in a recent systematic review which explored the risk factors for suicidal behaviour in men. The findings from this review illustrated that there are many possible reasons why men are at increased risk of suicide. These reasons included alcohol and drug dependency/use, sociodemographic factors, early life experiences and more. The study concluded that male suicide is a complex phenomenon and there are a variety of risk factors which interact with one another.
Another possible contributory factor for high suicide rates among men is the stigma attached to seeking help among the male population and preserving the role of men being strong. This view of males is particularly damaging as it can lead to men being less likely or less inclined to seek support when they are experiencing distress or are in crisis. As mentioned earlier, the paths to suicidal thoughts and behaviours are complex and it is important to highlight that suicide risk cannot be attributed to one single factor. Research has also sought to identify ways to reduce barriers for men seeking support for their mental health. Indeed, too often mental health services are not tailored to the needs of men. Some of the recommendations are to tailor interventions to the person’s gender (or other sociodemographic characteristics) and ensure that there is immediate support after a suicide attempt among the male population as this period can be crucial as we know that suicide risk is high then.
As discussed, there are many risk factors for men taking their own life. However, some research has found that occupation can be associated with an increased risk of suicide. One occupation which has received a lot of attention recently is the construction industry.
The Construction Industry
Research has found that the construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates compared to other occupations and the national average suicide rate. This is an industry which is heavily male dominated and often encompasses a workplace culture of hyper-masculinity where it is more socially acceptable to “just deal with it” and avoid seeking support. In addition to this, research has identified various industry related factors such as high workload, physical labour, long working hours, and job insecurity as well as personal factors such as socioeconomic background, education level and life stressors as contributory factors to construction workers’ suicide. These findings highlight the complex interplay of factors which ultimately lead to a construction worker’s death by suicide.
Recent research conducted by colleagues at Glasgow Caledonian University found that “low-skilled” construction workers e.g., general laborer’s, are at a higher risk of suicide compared to those who are classed as “skilled” workers. They also found that those who are unskilled have a suicide rate that is seven times that of managers and professionals within the industry. There are many reasons why this is the case, one possible explanation is socioeconomic factors as low skilled workers are paid less than those in managerial or skilled positions. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg, and many other factors are likely to contribute to the high rate of suicide deaths among men in the construction industry. This research also found that compared to other occupations, suicide rates within the construction industry are unfortunately on the rise.
There is no doubt that there is a relationship between being male, working in construction and dying by suicide. The challenge is that this relationship is complex and not fully understood yet. It is really important that attention is drawn towards those who are male and working in the construction industry as each day two people working in the construction industry die by suicide. More support is needed within the industry particularly for low-skilled workers. Furthermore, more research is required to understand the complex relationship between being male and working in this occupation as well as construction workers’ experiences of suicide to truly understand why this is occurring and what can be done to help.
Conclusion
To conclude, male suicide is a complex global phenomenon and not enough is understood about why more men than women are dying by suicide. Little is also known about what we can do to encourage men to seek help and how we can properly support them once they have reached out for help. There is evidently a relationship between being a man, working within the construction industry and suicide, albeit there are many factors which are at play for example, level of skill and personal circumstances. More focus is needed on understanding why men working in the construction industry are at an increased risk of suicide and what can be put in place to support them to prevent further suicide attempts and deaths.
Support
If you or someone you know working in the construction industry is struggling with suicide, then please look at the information below.
Websites:
• The Lighthouse is a charity who provide emotional, physical and financial support to those in the construction industry and their families.
• The organisation Mind has materials which can be accessed for construction companies as well as individuals working in the industry.
• Men Matter Scotland run group sessions based on peer support for men living in Scotland struggling with their mental health. Their aim is to prevent male suicide.
Helplines:
• NHS 24 Mental Health Hub Tel: 111 (open 24 hours per day)
• Breathing Space Tel: 0800 83 85 87 (open Monday-Thursday 6pm-2am, Friday 6pm-Monday 6am)
• Samaritans Tel: 116 123 (open 24 hours per day)
Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory 