Assisted and unassisted suicide in men and women: longitudinal study of the Swiss population
Open accessAbstract
Background: In Switzerland assisted suicide is legal if no self-interest is involved. Aims: To compare the strength and direction of associations with sociodemographic factors between assisted and unassisted suicides. Method: We calculated rates and used Cox and logistic regression models in a longitudinal study of the Swiss population. Results: Analyses were based on 5 004 403 people, 1301 assisted and 5708 unassisted suicides from 2003 to 2008. The rate of unassisted suicides was higher in men than in women, rates of assisted suicides were similar in men and women. Higher education was positively associated with assisted suicide, but negatively with unassisted. Living alone, having no children and no religious affiliation were associated with higher rates of both. Conclusions: Some situations that indicate greater vulnerability such as living alone were associated with both assisted and unassisted suicide. Among the terminally ill, women were more likely to choose assisted suicide, whereas men died more often by unassisted suicide.
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While the unassisted suicide rate was higher in men than women, no difference was found for assisted suicides.
“While the unassisted suicide rate was higher in men than women, no difference was found for assisted suicides.”
From Euthanasia and assisted suicide in psychiatric patients: A systematic review of the literature (2021) · cites this paper as Steck et al., 2016
Higher education was positively associated with assisted suicide and negatively with unassisted suicide; living alone, not having children and absence of religious affiliation were factors associated with both assisted and unassisted suicide.
“Higher education was positively associated with assisted suicide and negatively with unassisted suicide; living alone, not having children and absence of religious affiliation were factors associated with both assisted and unassisted suicide (Steck et al., 2016).”
From Euthanasia and assisted suicide in psychiatric patients: A systematic review of the literature (2021) · cites this paper as Steck et al., 2016
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References 34 · Cited by 66
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- [22]22. Hawton K, van Heeringen K. Suicide. Lancet 2009; 373: 1372-81.
- Authors
- Steck, N., Egger, M., & Zwahlen, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Bern (CH)
- Venue
- British Journal of Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Published
- 2016-05
- Volume
- 208
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 484-490
- ISSN
- 0007-1250 (ISSN-L)
- 1472-1465
- OpenAlex
- W2229890626
- Cited by
- 66
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 4.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- The British Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- BORIS (University Library Bern) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (148415, 108806, 133139, 134273)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
- Keywords
- assisted suicide, sex differences, sociodemographic factors, living alone, religious affiliation, educational attainment, dying patients
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Mental Disorders, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Suicide, Switzerland, Suicide, Assisted, Terminally Ill
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