Suicide prevention--a medical breakthrough?
OBJECTIVE
The author hypothesized, based on research until 1991, that a five-fold increase in the use of antidepressants might reduce Swedish suicide rates by 25%. A subsequent 3.5-fold increase in the use of antidepressants provided a 'natural experimental situation' for prospectively testing this hypothesis.


METHODS
Swedish statistics on suicide, use of antidepressants, unemployment and alcohol consumption were obtained for 1978-96. Time-series of the latter variables were compared with suicide rates. Demographic subgroups regarding age, gender and county were analysed. Suicide rates were also compared with the use of antidepressants in Denmark, Norway and Finland.


RESULTS
Suicide rates decreased in accordance with the a priori hypothesis. Alcohol consumption and unemployment rates did not correlate well with suicide rates.


CONCLUSIONS
This naturalistic study is not conclusive. The increased use of antidepressants appears, however, to be one of the contributing factors to the decrease in the suicide rate. It is of great scientific and clinical importance that this be evaluated by further studies.
Karolinska Institute, NEUROTEC, Division of Psychiatry, Huddinge Hospital, Sweden.
G
G
Isacsson
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012737:Sex Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors