Health and Social Care Inequalities Monitoring System – Changes in the Northern Ireland life expectancy gap 1999/01 – 2004/06

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety today published its report “Health and Social Care Inequalities Monitoring System – Changes in the life expectancy gap 1999/01 – 2004/06”.

This report follows on from the second update bulletin of the Health and Social Care Inequalities Monitoring System (HSCIMS) which was published in October 2007. Despite increases in life expectancy across all areas, the differential (or gap) between life expectancy estimates for those living in the most deprived areas in Northern Ireland compared with the overall NI average has changed little between 1999-01 and 2004-06. Similarly, the gap in life expectancy between those living in rural areas and NI as a whole has also remained fairly steady over the period. However, the same causes of death are not responsible for maintaining these gaps.

Both this report and the Health and Social Care Inequalities Monitoring System reports are published on the DHSSPS Website

Key points:

The key findings presented in the report are outlined below.

Changes in life expectancy over time

• In Northern Ireland as a whole, between 1999-01 and 2004-06, male life expectancy at birth increased from 74.8 to 76.2 years (an increase of 1.4 years) and female life expectancy increased from 79.8 to 81.0 years (an increase of 1.3 years) Please note that figures may not sum due to rounding..
• Declining mortality rates due to Coronary Heart Disease, strokes and other circulatory causes, as well as cancer and respiratory disease caused life expectancy to increase.
• However, these increases were partially offset by increasing mortality rates over time due to accidental deaths, suicides and chronic liver disease and ‘other’ causes of death (not separately identified).

Deprived life expectancy gap

• Life expectancy remains worse in the most deprived areas in Northern Ireland than in NI overall. In 2004-06, life expectancy for males living in the most deprived areas was 3.8 years lower than for males living in NI as a whole, while female life expectancy was 2.6 years lower. By comparison, the deprived life expectancy gaps for males and females in 1999-01 were 3.9 years and 2.7 years respectively.
• Between 1999-01 and 2004-06, life expectancy in deprived areas increased by 1.5 years for males and 1.4 years for females to reach 72.4 years and 78.5 years respectively.
  Although the deprived life expectancy gaps for males and females have remained fairly steady over recent years, the same causes of death are not responsible for maintaining those gaps.
• Improved mortality rates due to respiratory and circulatory diseases in the most deprived areas relative to NI generally narrowed both the male and female deprived gaps over recent years. However these improvements have been mostly offset by a relative worsening of mortality due to other causes such as cancer, suicide, accidental death and chronic liver disease.

Rural life expectancy gap

• Life expectancy for both males and females in rural areas is higher than in NI generally. In 2004-06, life expectancy for males living in the rural areas was 1.0 years higher than for males living in NI as a whole, while female life expectancy was 0.5 years higher. By comparison, the rural life expectancy gaps for males and females in 1999-01 were 1.0 years and 0.7 years respectively.
• Between 1999-01 and 2004-06, life expectancy in rural areas increased by 1.4 years for males and 1.0 years for females to reach 77.2 years and 81.5 years respectively.
• In 1999-01, the male gap was due to lower mortality for cancer, suicide, chronic liver disease and other causes of death (not separately identified) in rural areas. By 2004-06, the gap was mostly due to lower mortality for respiratory and circulatory diseases for rural males.
• For females, the gap in 1999-01 and to a lesser extent, 2004-06 was due to better mortality in rural areas in respect of respiratory disease and lung cancer.

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Social Care Inequalities Monitoring System (HSCIMS) comprises a basket of indicators (including life expectancy) which are monitored over time to assess area differences in mortality, morbidity, utilisation of and access to health and social care services in Northern Ireland. Inequalities between the 20% most deprived areas and Northern Ireland as a whole are measured. Results for rural areas are also compared against Northern Ireland overall. This report follows on from the second update bulletin of the Health and Social Care Inequalities Monitoring System (HSCIMS) which was published in October 2007.

2. Both the HSCIMS and this report define deprived areas as the 20% most deprived Super Output Areas according to the most recent multiple deprivation measure (published by NISRA in 2005). Similarly, both the HSCIMS and this report use the same definition of rural areas as outlined in the “Report of the Inter-Departmental Urban-Rural Definition Group” (NISRA 2005).

3. All analyses and calculations are based on official deaths data sourced from the General Register Office and population data published by NISRA. The methodology used to calculate life expectancy is consistent with that used in the second update bulletin of the HSCIMS.

4. Media enquiries to DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 0571. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440, and your call will be returned.

5. Further information on the Health and Social Care inequalities Monitoring System is available from:

Email: healthinequalities@dhsspsni.gov.uk

Web: http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/index/lifeexpectancy