The SNC database consists of the following datasets:
- SNC standard file: The SNC standard file includes 265 of the most important variables of the Swiss National Cohort.
- 2000 census: All people living in Switzerland on the 5.12.2000 had to fill out several questionnaires: one for each person (personal record), one for the household (household record with information on number of people living together etc.). Additionally, house owners had to fill out a questionnaire for the building (building record (only if applicable) with information on the building, like number of flats, heating etc.).
- 1990 census: Similar to 2000 census.
- From 2010 onwards, the census is register-based and performed yearly. Several variables (e.g. religion, education, profession) are not included in the yearly census data anymore.
- Mortality data: All death records from 1991 up to 2018 have been linked to the corresponding census. The records contain socio-demographic information as well as information about causes of death (up to 2017).
- Population movement statistics: Since 2010, data about live births, stillbirths, marriages and divorces have also been linked to the census data.
- Structural surveys: For the structural survey a sample of at least 200’000 residents are asked to fill out a written questionnaire each year since 2010. These structural surveys are an addition to the register-based censuses and have been linked to the SNC standard file.
- Swiss health survey (SHS) 1992: A sample of around 15’000 persons have been asked about their health status and health-related behaviours. The SNC data was linked to the SHS data.
- Swiss neighbourhood index (Swiss-SEP): Based on the 2000 census data and the structural surveys 2012-2015 we developed a area-based index of socio-economic position.
| Datasets | Number of Records | Number of Variables |
| SNC standard file | 12’194’229 | 265 |
| 1990 census – person records | 7’086’314 | 102 |
| 1990 census – household records | 3’139’852 | 161 |
| 1990 census – building records | 3’223’623 | 66 |
| 2000 census – person records | 7’452’075 | 172 |
| 2000 census – household records | 3’429’579 | 204 |
| 2000 census – building records | 1’465’891 | 48 |
| register-based census – person records | ||
| 2010 | 7’949’100 | 106 |
| 2011 | 8’043’683 | 111 |
| 2012 | 8’133’229 | 87 |
| 2013 | 8’232’130 | 87 |
| 2014 | 8’333’675 | 87 |
| 2015 | 8’433’220 | 87 |
| 2016 | 8’506’498 | 98 |
| 2017 | 8’569’638 | 166 |
| 2018 | 8’630’522 | 170 |
| 2019 | 8,692,575 | 180 |
| register-based census – household records | ||
| 2011 | 3’562’305 | 60 |
| 2012 | 3’543’815 | 56 |
| 2013 | 3’602’197 | 58 |
| 2014 | 3’644’761 | 59 |
| 2015 | 3’691’052 | 61 |
| 2016 | 3’740’687 | 61 |
| 2017 | 3’781’447 | 61 |
| 2018 | 3’821’584 | 61 |
| 2019 | 3,870,863 | 61 |
| register-based census – building records | ||
| 2010 | 1’642’622 | 13 |
| 2011 | 1’656’864 | 16 |
| 2012 | 1’670’054 | 24 |
| 2013 | 1’683’307 | 23 |
| 2014 | 1’695’769 | 23 |
| 2015 | 1’712’893 | 24 |
| 2016 | 1’730’415 | 20 |
| 2017 | 1’738’218 | 21 |
| 2018 | 1’748’477 | 21 |
| 2019 | 1,756,927 | 20 |
| register-based census – dwelling records | ||
| 2010 | 4’079’060 | 5 |
| 2011 | 4’131’342 | 5 |
| 2012 | 4’177’521 | 10 |
| 2013 | 4’234’906 | 12 |
| 2014 | 4’289’428 | 12 |
| 2015 | 4’351’846 | 13 |
| 2016 | 4’420’829 | 13 |
| 2017 | 4’469’498 | 13 |
| 2018 | 4’528’902 | 13 |
| 2019 | 4,582,272 | 12 |
| Mortality 1991 – 2019 | 1’832’948 | 114 |
| Population movement statistics | ||
| live birth records 2010-2019 | 852’799 | 69 |
| still birth records 2010-2019 | 3’618 | 95 |
| marriage records 2010-2019 | 382’435 | 94 |
| divorce records 2011-2019 | 152’718 | 77 |
| Structural survey – person records | ||
| 2010 | 317’221 | 445 |
| 2011 | 282’749 | 450 |
| 2012 | 286’015 | 451 |
| 2013 | 281’990 | 454 |
| 2014 | 287’842 | 453 |
| 2015 | 269’509 | 313 |
| 2016 | 274’213 | 318 |
| 2017 | 368,495 | 318 |
| 2018 | 266,537 | 323 |
| 2019 | 269,219 | 319 |
| Structural survey – household records | ||
| 2010 | 266’502 | 507 |
| 2011 | 238’033 | 512 |
| 2012 | 242’266 | 516 |
| 2013 | 239’299 | 519 |
| 2014 | 243’236 | 519 |
| 2015 | 231’618 | 363 |
| 2016 | 236’463 | 368 |
| 2017 | 231,433 | 370 |
| 2018 | 231,145 | 375 |
| 2019 | 237,157 | 371 |
| Structural survey – household member records | ||
| 2010 | 688’792 | 183 |
| 2011 | 626’327 | 184 |
| 2012 | 639’260 | 189 |
| 2013 | 627’850 | 189 |
| 2014 | 636’655 | 189 |
| 2015 | 607’645 | 96 |
| 2016 | 616’549 | 101 |
| 2017 | 605,142 | 101 |
| 2018 | 602,831 | 101 |
| 2019 | 618,027 | 101 |
| Swiss health survey 1992 | ||
| Telephone questionnaire | 15’288 | 454 |
| Written questionnaire | 10’792 | 167 |
| Swiss neighbourhood index | ||
| 1.0 (2000) | 1,298,079 | 7 |
| 2.0 (2012-15) | 1,540,584 | 8 |
| 3.0 (hybrid: 2000, 2012-15) | 1,540,584 | 17 |