Long Term Monitoring of Health Inequalities: Headline Indicators – October 2014

Annual update of the 'Long-term Monitoring of Health Inequalities' headline indicators.


Premature Mortality - from all causes, aged under 75 years

Between 1997 and 2012, the European age-standardised death rate amongst those aged under 75 years decreased by 32%. However, it remains the case that more than 20,000 individuals in Scotland aged under 75 die each year.

In 2012, deaths in the most deprived areas were more than three times as common as deaths in the least deprived. The reduction in deaths between 1997 and 2006 occurred at a slower rate in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived, which saw a widening of inequalities in relative terms. However, since 2006, the level of relative inequality has stabilised, and is unchanged from last year.

Despite some fluctuation, absolute inequality has continued to fall since peaking in 2002. There have been consecutive falls since 2007, and the difference between rates in the most and least deprived areas is now smaller than in any other year in the time series.

Inequalities gradient in 2012

All cause mortality amongst those aged <75y by Income-Employment Index: Scotland 2012

Relative Index of Inequality (RII) over time

Relative Index of Inequality (RII): All cause mortality <75y - Scotland 1997 - 2012

Absolute range over time

Absolute range: All cause mortality <75y - Scotland 1997 - 2012

Scale / context

Number of deaths

Target population size

Rate per 100,000 (EASR)

1997

26,081

4,740,269

651.9

1998

25,857

4,729,975

643.3

1999

25,491

4,721,298

632.5

2000

24,593

4,708,667

607.3

2001

24,168

4,703,661

593.1

2002

24,219

4,701,958

588.9

2003

23,789

4,702,431

573.4

2004

22,896

4,714,233

546.2

2005

22,441

4,735,320

530.3

2006

22,237

4,752,425

520.4

2007

22,359

4,783,452

516.8

2008

22,005

4,811,453

501.3

2009

21,229

4,835,007

477.0

2010

20,997

4,858,058

467.4

2011

20,685

4,888,316

456.1

2012

20,446

4,895,114

445.3

Contact

Email: Craig Kellock

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