Suchtmonitoring Schweiz

Existing monitoring of substance use and its consequences in Switzerland has been incomplete, uncoordinated and fragmented across different agencies. The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) has therefore commissioned the implementation of a comprehensive monitoring strategy. The proposed strategy resulted from a collaboration between three renowned institutes. The main objectives were to identify missing data and prioritize data collection in order to create a common platform that would bring together the scattered activities under one roof. To achieve this, the participating institutions must commit themselves to the common goal of improving the monitoring situation in Switzerland. Data must be collected in a flexible way in order to adapt to changing circumstances and to set new priorities. Another concern was the collection of data, for which a survey of the entire population would not be appropriate. The platform should be made available as an information system to keep political decision-makers, prevention experts and researchers constantly informed about the current situation in Switzerland.

This comprehensive monitoring system will be continued and the best possible use will be made of existing data, new data collections (types, instruments, frequencies, indicators), data analysis, synthesis and interpretation, data dissemination, roles and responsibilities in the system, funding and compatibility with international requirements. The system is to remain flexible and open to include new areas of addiction, if necessary, when new epidemiological or political developments suggest it. There should be regular and systematic data collection on health-related behavior and related aspects among various target groups in the addiction field, and on the acceptance of the survey instruments used, especially for drugs (legal and illegal). The data collection systems and indicators are to be harmonized nationally and made internationally comparable with AMIS.

The present project builds on the previous one, expands the field of tobacco consumption and proposes its continuation in three complementary working modules: 1) a  survey that is flexible in its methodology and questionnaire design in order to respond quickly to unforeseen regulatory changes, 2) the monitoring of substance use among young people in the nightlife and leisure sector and the collection of expert knowledge on substance use in a monitoring system, 3) the improvement of the reporting and information system, which allows the consortium easy access and enables the FOPH to continuously update the key indicators in AMIS and all other relevant data sources available at national level regarding substance use and consequences for the entire population.

This reporting and information system allows, on the one hand, for comprehensive surveying of the development of substance-related problems in Switzerland and, on the other hand, aids to keep an eye on new problem areas and, if necessary, to analyze them in detail.  This - with the agreement of the FOPH - could be made easily available to political decision-makers, researchers or even the public.