Alive and kicking: suicide rates and major soccer events in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Major sporting events are postulated to reduce suicide rates by increased social connectedness, by identifying with winning teams, or, conversely, to increase suicide rates by the 'broken promise effect'.

Methods

In our observational epidemiological study, we investigated changes in suicide rates between 1970 and 2017 in Austria, Germany and Switzerland during the European and World Soccer Championships in general, and on days that the home team played, won or lost.

Results

Combining all three studied nations no statistically significant change in the incidence of daily suicides during soccer championships compared to a control period was noted (38.29 ± 9.02 vs. 37.33 ± 10.58; incidence risk ratio = 1.03; 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.05, P = 0.05). Essen

SUBMITTER: Pichler EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10234653 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature