An inverse relationship between religion and suicide has been found in regional, national, and cross-national studies. Analyzing data from the 1993 Mortality Followback Survey in the US, frequency of religious activities reduced the odds of dying by suicide even after controlling for the frequency of social contact; in 584 deaths by suicide compared with 4279 natural deaths. A Canadian study of 261 Census divisions found the absence of religious affiliation to be an important predictor of death by suicide.