Effect of Using Age-Adjusted Suicide Rates on Time-Series Studies of the American Suicide Rate

The effect of using age-adjusted suicide rates rather than crude suicide rates was explored. Results indicated that the effects of marriage & birth rates remained significant contributors for both crude & age-adjusted rates, while unemployment rates were nonsignificant for both. Divorce rates contributed significantly to the prediction of crude suicide rates but not to age-adjusted rates. Thus, use of age-adjusted rates instead of crude rates may affect times-series analyses of suicide rates.