The Economic Burden and Costs of Suicide and Self-Harm in Sweden

Background Suicide and self-harm represent a major public health challenge with significant human and economic consequences. Quantifying its economic burden is essential for guiding preventive strategies and resource allocation. Methods This study estimated the societal costs of suicide and self-harm in Sweden in 2022 using data from high-quality national registries and publicly available sources. Costs encompassed direct costs (healthcare, emergency services, property damage) and indirect costs calculated using the human capital approach (productivity losses due to morbidity and premature death). Additionally, a monetary value for disability and death based on incidence data was used to monetize the burden of disease. Results The total annual economic burden of suicide and self-harm in Sweden was substantial and amounted in 3.7 billion Euro. Productivity losses from paid work accounted for the 24% of costs, reflecting the considerable impact on the working-age population while the monetary value for death and disability constituted the largest proportion, 74%. Conservative assumptions suggest that the estimates likely undervalued the true societal burden. Conclusions Suicide and self-harm impose a significant economic burden on Swedish society. Strengthening mental health services, workplace prevention programs, and postvention support could reduce both human suffering and societal costs. These findings provide valuable evidence to inform policymakers and stakeholders in designing cost-effective prevention strategies.