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The Werther effect and assisted suicide.

Andreas Frei1, Tanja Schenker, Asmus Finzen

  • 1Psychiatric Clinic of Lucerne, Switzerland. andreas.frei@ksl.ch

Suicide & Life-Threatening Behavior
|July 29, 2003
PubMed
Summary

A prominent assisted suicide case in Switzerland led to a significant increase in similar suicides, particularly among older women. This "Werther effect" highlights media influence on suicide rates.

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Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health
  • Sociology

Background:

  • A notable assisted suicide event involving a prominent couple occurred in Basle, Switzerland, in March 1995.
  • This event received extensive press coverage, potentially influencing public perception and behavior regarding assisted suicide.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of media coverage of a high-profile assisted suicide on the incidence of assisted suicides.
  • To determine if there was a statistically significant change in assisted suicide rates following the event.

Main Methods:

  • Epidemiological study conducted in the Basle region, Switzerland, between 1992 and 1996.
  • Analysis of assisted suicide data from the right-to-die society EXIT, comparing rates before and after March 1995.
  • Statistical significance testing to evaluate changes in suicide incidence.
Keywords:
Death and EuthanasiaEmpirical Approach

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Main Results:

  • A statistically significant increase in assisted suicides was observed in the two years following the prominent double suicide event.
  • The rise in assisted suicides was particularly pronounced among women over 65 years of age.
  • The findings suggest a potential
  • Conclusions: [
  • Extensive and enthusiastic media reporting on assisted suicide may trigger imitation suicides, a phenomenon known as the
  • The study underscores the vulnerability of certain demographics, such as elderly women, to media influence regarding suicide.

Conclusions:

  • Extensive and enthusiastic media reporting on assisted suicide may trigger imitation suicides, a phenomenon known as the "Werther effect".
  • The study underscores the vulnerability of certain demographics, such as elderly women, to media influence regarding suicide.