Objective The objective of this study was to explore suicide ideation in association with multiple occupational exposures, especially those related to the psychosocial work environment, in the French working population.

Methods The study relied on the data of the 2016 national working conditions survey, including a sample of the French working population of 20,430 employees, 8,579 men and 11,851 women. The outcome was suicide ideation within the 12 last months. All types of occupational exposures were explored including psychosocial work factors, working time/hours and physico-chemical exposures. The exposures-outcome associations were examined by weighted logistic regression models with adjustment for covariates. Sensitivity analyses were performed to check the robustness of the results.

Results The prevalence of suicide ideation was of similar magnitude among men and women (5.2% and 5.7% respectively). A large number of psychosocial work factors were associated with suicide ideation: quantitative and cognitive demands, low influence and possibilities for development, low meaning at work, low sense of community, role conflict, job insecurity, temporary employment, changes at work, and internal violence. The risk of suicide ideation increased with the number of psychosocial work exposures linearly. There were some differences in the exposure-outcome associations between genders. No association was observed for working time/hours and physico-chemical exposures with suicide ideation. Sensitivity analyses provided similar results.

Conclusion Psychosocial work exposures were associated with suicide ideation, and displayed cumulative effects on this outcome. Our study is one the first to study multiple occupational exposures in association with suicide ideation. More research and prevention are needed on psychosocial work exposures and their cumulative effects on suicide ideation.