General information about the maps

AGE-STANDARDISED DATA

Throughout the data have been adjusted for age differences, which means that the geographical patterns that are shown on the maps are comparable and not due to differences in age structure between counties and municipalities.

WOMEN AND MEN

Separate standard populations have been used for men and women, which means that it is not possible to directly compare the levels between men and women, since women live on average five years longer than men.

MEAN VALUES FOR SEVERAL YEARS

Many of the maps show three or five-year mean values. This is a way of evening out temporary extremes, thereby achieving a “truer” map.

THE BIG CITIES

Göteborg and Malmö are reported separately on many of the maps. The values for these towns are not included in the values for their respective counties. That is the case, however, for Stockholm. Since it may be of interest to compare the big cities with each other, the value for Stockholm is given in the caption, wherever that is possible. The national averages are also given in the captions.

COUNTY AMALGAMATIONS

Two new big counties – Skåne County and Götalands County – have been formed in recent years. This has at times caused problems, as current figures are not available, for Västra Götalands County, for example. Thus we have chosen to use old data in order to provide as comprehensive a picture as possible.