Associated factors of depression, anxiety, and suicide behavior among men in Switzerland: findings from the Swiss health survey 2022

This study examined demographic, socioeconomic, and psychosocial factors associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts among men in Switzerland, using nationally representative population data from the Swiss Health Survey 2022. Understanding men’s mental health disparities is essential, as men are often underdiagnosed and less likely to seek psychological help despite high suicide rates. Data from 10,761 individuals registered as male were analyzed. All analyses applied the survey weights provided by the SFO to ensure representativeness of approximately 3.55 million adult men living in private households across all Swiss regions. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and anxiety symptoms with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Lifetime suicide attempts were assessed through self-report. Weighted linear and logistic regression models examined associations between mental health outcomes and demographic (age, language area, partnership status), socioeconomic (income, employment, education), and migration-related factors, including sexual orientation. Higher symptom levels were associated with younger age, lower income, unemployment, and single relationship status. Men identifying as non-heterosexual and those with a migration background reported significantly higher scores on both the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 compared to heterosexual and Swiss-born men. Regional and language differences were evident, with elevated symptom levels among French-speaking participants. Transgender and non-binary individuals registered as male exhibited particularly elevated symptom levels of anxiety and depression. These findings highlight persistent disparities in men’s mental health across social and demographic groups in Switzerland. Population-level screening, improved access to gender-sensitive mental health services, and targeted prevention programs addressing social and economic vulnerability are warranted. Future national surveys should also incorporate measures of masculinity norms and gender role attitudes to better capture underlying mechanisms contributing to men’s mental health outcomes.