Autopsy rate in Switzerland
Switzerland: Autopsy rate was 3.5% in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Autopsy rate in Switzerland, 1980–2019
Source: Paratz et al. (2023); World Health Organization (2022) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 3.5% for autopsy rate in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 40 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.9% on the previous year and down 39.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, autopsy rate in Switzerland peaked at 21.7% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 2019.
Switzerland ranks 29th of 39 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Autopsy rate in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 21.7% | — |
| 1981 | 21.0% | -3.2% |
| 1982 | 20.3% | -3.3% |
| 1983 | 20.0% | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 19.6% | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 19.2% | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 18.8% | -2.1% |
| 1987 | 17.9% | -4.8% |
| 1988 | 17.6% | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 17.3% | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 15.7% | -9.2% |
| 1991 | 15.2% | -3.2% |
| 1992 | 14.3% | -5.9% |
| 1993 | 13.3% | -7.0% |
| 1994 | 12.8% | -3.8% |
| 1995 | 12.3% | -3.9% |
| 1996 | 11.2% | -8.9% |
| 1997 | 10.3% | -8.0% |
| 1998 | 10.6% | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 10.2% | -3.8% |
| 2000 | 9.5% | -6.9% |
| 2001 | 9.4% | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 8.2% | -12.8% |
| 2003 | 7.3% | -11.0% |
| 2004 | 7.2% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 7.1% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 6.8% | -4.2% |
| 2007 | 6.4% | -5.9% |
| 2008 | 6.1% | -4.7% |
| 2009 | 5.8% | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 5.5% | -5.2% |
| 2011 | 5.1% | -7.3% |
| 2012 | 4.8% | -5.9% |
| 2013 | 4.3% | -10.4% |
| 2014 | 4.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 4.1% | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 4.2% | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 3.8% | -9.5% |
| 2018 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3.5% | -7.9% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 3.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 8.0%, 44% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 3.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 8.6%, 41% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 19.3% | 17.3% | 21.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.6% | 10.2% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.4% | 5.8% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.3% | 3.5% | 5.5% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 26 Kyrgyzstan 5.0% compare
- 27 Turkey 4.8% compare
- 28 Cyprus 4.7% compare
- 30 Bulgaria 2.9% compare
- 31 North Macedonia 2.7% compare
- 31 Turkmenistan 2.7% compare
More reference data data for Switzerland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5507 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2683 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.272 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is autopsy rate in Switzerland?
- Autopsy rate in Switzerland was 3.5% in 2019, according to Paratz et al. (2023); World Health Organization (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest autopsy rate recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 21.7% in 1980.
- What is the lowest autopsy rate recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 2019.
- How does Switzerland rank for autopsy rate?
- Switzerland ranks 29th out of 39 countries with data for 2019.
- Is autopsy rate rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from Paratz et al. (2023); World Health Organization (2022) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Autopsy rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 40 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The share of all deaths for which an autopsy was performed. Autopsies may be used to determine the cause of sudden deaths; when there is a lack of doctors and nurses, medical records, or death certificate training; or for other legal or cultural reasons.