Historical Perspectives on Suicide and Suicide Prevention in Sweden

Changes in suicide rates & attitudes towards suicide in Sweden from pre-modern to modern times are described, with suicidal murder as an interesting transitional form. The rates of homicide are found to have decreased, while those of suicide have increased. Changes in attitudes towards suicide are found to have led to very heterogeneous suicide patterns. With increasing social homogeneity the authors identify a tendency back towards larger homogeneity of suicide as well. (25 refs)