Table 3. Univariate and multivariate random-effects meta-regression for GI infection risk between low and high SES groups.
| Univariate RR (95% CI) |
Multivariate RR (95% CI) |
Number observations |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Method of sampling GI infection cases | Laboratory records | 1 (ref) | 1 (ref) | 43 |
| Population-based survey | 1.11 (0.85–1.44) | 1.04 (0.75–1.43) | 23 | |
| GP presentation | 1.18 (0.71–1.94) | 1.02 (0.62–1.69) | 5 | |
| Hospital admissions | 1.49 (1.08–2.07)* | 1.24 (0.88–1.73) | 12 | |
| SES measure | Individual level | 1 (ref) | 1 (ref) | 50 |
| Area level | 0.87 (0.69–1.09) | 0.92 (0.70–1.22) | 33 | |
| Age of participants | Adult | 1 (ref) | 1 (ref) | 14 |
| Mixed ages | 1.17 (0.88–1.54) | 1.22 (0.90–1.66) | 42 | |
| Child | 1.89 (1.40–2.55)*** | 1.87 (1.35–2.59)*** | 27 | |
| Country Human Development Indexa | Upper tertile | 1 (ref) | 1 (ref) | 39 |
| Middle tertile | 0.98 (0.76–1.25) | 1.09 (0.84–1.41) | 30 | |
| Lower tertile | 1.04 (0.73–1.49) | 0.88 (0.62–1.25) | 14 | |
| Country climate | Temperate/Mediterranean | 1 (ref) | 1 (ref) | 62 |
| Arid | 1.05 (0.69–1.61) | 1.01 (0.67–1.52) | 7 | |
| Snow | 0.81 (0.60–1.10) | 0.89 (0.67–1.19) | 14 | |
|
Pathogen typeb |
Foodborne | 1 (ref) | - | 28 |
| Waterborne | 0.73 (0.46–1.14) | - | 8 | |
| Environmental | 0.46 (0.23–0.91)* | - | 3 | |
| Person-to-person | 1.65 (1.05–2.59)* | - | 7 |
CI = confidence interval; GI = gastrointestinal; ref = reference category; RR = ratio of risk ratios; SES = socioeconomic status
a Higher values indicate higher level of human development.
b Not all studies analysed specific pathogens, therefore this variable was not entered into the multivariate model.
*p <0.05.
**p <0.01.
***p <0.001.