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Published Online: 1 September 2013

Change in Suicide Rates in Switzerland Before and After Firearm Restriction Resulting From the 2003 “Army XXI” Reform

Abstract

Objective

Firearms are the most common method of suicide among young men in Switzerland. From March 2003 through February 2004, the number of Swiss soldiers was halved as a result of an army reform (Army XXI), leading to a decrease in the availability of guns nationwide. The authors investigated the patterns of the overall suicide rate and the firearm suicide rate before and after the reform.

Method

Using a naturalistic study design, the authors compared suicide rates before (1995–2003) and after the intervention (2004–2008) in the affected population (men ages 18–43) and in two comparison groups (women ages 18–44 and men ages 44–53). Data were received from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office. Interrupted time series analysis was used to control for preexisting temporal trends. Alternative methods (Poisson regression, autocorrelation analysis, and surrogate data tests) were used to check validity.

Results

The authors found a reduction in both the overall suicide rate and the firearm suicide rate after the Army XXI reform. No significant increases were found for other suicide methods overall. An increase in railway suicides was observed. It was estimated that 22% of the reduction in firearm suicides was substituted by other suicide methods. The attenuation of the suicide rate was not compensated for during the follow-up years. Neither of the comparison groups showed statistically significant changes in firearm suicide rate and overall suicide rate.

Conclusions

The restriction of firearm availability in Switzerland resulting from the Army XXI reform was followed by an enduring decrease in the general suicide rate.

Abstract

Suicides among Swiss men ages 18-43 declined after 2003 legislation known as “Army XXI” restructured and halved the number of soldiers in the army

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Information

Published In

Go to American Journal of Psychiatry
Go to American Journal of Psychiatry
American Journal of Psychiatry
Pages: 977 - 984
PubMed: 23897090

History

Received: 28 September 2012
Revision received: 20 January 2013
Accepted: 29 May 2013
Published online: 1 September 2013
Published in print: September 2013

Authors

Details

Thomas Reisch, M.D.
From University Hospital of Psychiatry Bern and Hospital of Psychiatry Muensingen, Switzerland.
Timur Steffen, M.A.
From University Hospital of Psychiatry Bern and Hospital of Psychiatry Muensingen, Switzerland.
Astrid Habenstein, M.D.
From University Hospital of Psychiatry Bern and Hospital of Psychiatry Muensingen, Switzerland.
Wolfgang Tschacher, Ph.D.
From University Hospital of Psychiatry Bern and Hospital of Psychiatry Muensingen, Switzerland.

Notes

Address correspondence to Dr. Reisch ([email protected]).

Funding Information

The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.Supported by grant 32003B_133070/1 from the Swiss National Science Foundation.

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