Generally, results from the modelling show important differences in the relationship between deaths by suicide and the different socioeconomic factors, relative to comparison groups, as seen in the forest plot below.
Univariate and multivariate competing risk models were used (Fine and Gray, 1999). Results of sex stratified models are also reported, these are multivariate models split by males and females to investigate the interactions within the sex.
See Technical notes for further information on the data and methods used.
Estimates presented are hazard ratios for the group of interest compared with a reference group. Reference group values are indicated as the dotted line at 1. A hazard ratio (HR) indicates how many times higher the probability of an event is in one group of people with a particular characteristic than in another group without that characteristic, after adjusting for other factors in the model. The size of the reported hazard ratio indicates the strength of the relationship a social factor has to deaths by suicide, relative to the reference group.
Ninety-five per cent (95%) confidence intervals are also presented to indicate the statistical precision and significance. The result is interpreted as having a statistically significant impact (that is, not due to chance) if the interval does not cross the value of 1.