We investigated changes in the proportion of firearm suicides in Western countries since the 1980s and the relation of these changes to the change in the proportion of households owning firearms. Several countries had an obvious decline in firearm suicides: Norway, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Multilevel modeling of longitudinal data confirmed the effect of the proportion of households owning firearms. Legislation and regulatory measures reducing the availability of firearms in private households can distinctly strengthen the prevention of firearm suicides.

Background. To examine the effect of time on suicide after bereavement among widowed persons.Method. The data were extracted from Swiss mortality statistics for the period [1987][1988][1989][1990][1991][1992][1993][1994][1995][1996][1997][1998][1999][2000][2001][2002][2003][2004][2005]. The time between bereavement and subsequent death, specifically by suicide, was determined by linkage of individual records of married persons. The suicide rates and the standardized mortality ratios in the first week/month/year of widowhood were calculated based on person-year calculations.Results. The annualized suicide rates in widowed persons were highest in the first week after bereavement : 941 males and 207 females per 100 000. The corresponding standardized mortality ratios were approximately 34 and 19 respectively. In the first month(s) after bereavement, the rates and the ratios decreased, first rapidly, then gradually. Except in older widows, they did not reach the baseline levels during the first year after bereavement.Conclusions. The suicide risk of widowed persons is increased in the days, weeks and months after bereavement. Widowed persons are a clear-cut risk group under the aegis of undertakers, priests and general practitioners.

Objective: To evaluate trends in the use of antipsychotic drugs in Lithuania between 2003 and 2005 years. Methods: The data on total sales of antipsychotic drugs in Lithuania over three years (2003-2005) were obtained from IMS Health Inc. Drugs were classified according to the Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical system, use was quantified in terms of defined daily doses. Data were calculated by DDD methodology, expressed in DDDs per 1.000 inhabitants/day. The pharmacoeconomic analysis was performed by cost minimization and reference price methodology. Results: The total antipsychotics consumption increased by 16% over three years period reaching the value of 5,5 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day. Use of conventional antipsychotics has increased by 3%, atypical antipsychotics by 34%. The expenditures of antipsychotics has reached 39 mln Litas (in 2005), of which 48% was costs for atypical antipsychotic agents. Setting the reference price of risperidone (according to the meta-analysis results of effectiveness) for atypical antipsychotics it would be possible to rationalize schizophrenia treatment using 10,68 mln Litas extra money (1V ¼ 3,4528 Lt). Conclusions: The use of total antipsychotic drugs continues to increase because of the increased use of atypical antipsychotics and some conventional antipsychotics. According to the meta-analysis results risperidone is the most effective drug for schizophrenia treatment. Considering the similar efficacy of other atypical antipsychotics and the increased high expenditures of atypical antipsychotics it is extremely important to consider the cost-effectiveness of antipsychotics. Performed cost-minimization analysis using the reference-based pricing estimated the possible reduction of total antipsychotics expenditures by 28%, the possible schizophrenia treatment rationalization.