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Social Justice
a Scotland where everyone matters
Indicators of Progress 2003

Milestone 18: Improving the health of families by reducing smoking, alcohol misuse, poor diet and mortality from coronary heart disease

This milestone is measured by four indicators. The Scottish Health Survey provides information on the first three indicators on smoking, diet and alcohol; and the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) provides information on mortality. In addition, more recent smoking data is available from the Scottish Household Survey. All indicators are based on people aged 16 - 64 years except mortality from coronary heart disease, which is for persons are aged 15 - 64 years to ensure consistency with available population data.

(a) Reducing smoking (cigarettes)

The percentage of men smoking cigarettes in 1998 was estimated at 36 per cent compared to 33 per cent for women. Table 18a shows that the levels have remained fairly constant between 1995 and 1998.

Table 18a: Percentage smoking cigarettes, persons aged 16-64, 1995 and 1998

It should be noted that virtually all women smokers are cigarette smokers. However, in 1998, 36 per cent of men smoked cigarettes whilst 40 per cent of men in total were smokers (this includes pipe and cigar smokers).

There is some evidence from the Scottish Household Survey which shows a decrease in the percentage of male smokers (and all smokers) between 1999 and 2002. The male percentage has decreased from 34 per cent to 31 per cent, while the overall percentage has decreased from 33 per cent to 31 per cent. It is important to note that as these estimates are from an alternative data source, although both the Scottish Household Survey and the Scottish Health Survey ask similar questions and have large sample sizes.

Table 18b: Percentage smoking cigarettes by sex, persons aged 16-64, 1999 - 2002

Carstairs Deprivation Quintiles

The Scottish Household Survey also shows that, in 2002, men and women living in the most deprived areas were more than twice as likely to smoke as those from the least deprived areas. However, since 1999, there is some evidence showing a fall in the level of smoking among men from deprived areas, although there is no evidence of a similar fall for women from deprived areas.

Table 18c: Percentage smoking cigarettes by sex by Carstairs deprivation quintile, persons aged 16-64, 1999 - 2002

Urban Rural analysis

The 2002 Scottish Household Survey shows that some 32 per cent of those in urban areas smoke compared to some 27 per cent in rural areas.

(b) Reducing Alcohol misuse and (c) Reducing Poor Diet

Information from the Scottish Health Survey indicates that the percentage of men drinking more than the recommended weekly level of alcohol was 33 per cent in both 1995 and 1998. For women, the figure remained fairly steady at 13 per cent in 1995 and 15 per cent in 1998.

The percentage of men and women consuming fresh fruit once a day increased between 1995 and 1998. However, the percentage consuming cooked green vegetables remained static. Women are more likely than men to eat fresh fruit and cooked green vegetables.

Additional information from the 1995 and 1998 Scottish Health Survey is available in the 2002 Social Justice Annual Report. Information from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey will be available in 2004/05.

(d) Mortality rates from coronary heart disease

The data for 2002 continues the downward trend in mortality rates from coronary heart disease for those aged 15 to 64. In 1999, for each 100,000 of the male population aged 15 -64, 98 men died as a result of coronary heart disease, this had fallen to 83 men per 100,000 in 2002. The comparable figures for women are 30 per 100,000 in 1998, and 26 per 100,000 in 2002. Men continue to be significantly more likely than women to die from coronary heart disease.

Chart 18d: Mortality rate per 100,000 from coronary heart disease, persons aged 15-64, 1995 -2002

Sources: ISD National Health Service in Scotland and General Registrar Office for Scotland
Note: Data for 2002 are provisional

Carstairs Deprivation Quintiles

There is an association between mortality from coronary heart disease and deprivation. For both males and females aged 15-64, those living in the most deprived areas are about twice as likely to die from coronary heart disease than those from the more affluent areas. The mortality rates for coronary heart disease are falling for both men and women across all types of area.

Urban Rural analysis

The coronary heart disease mortality rates in urban areas are relatively higher than in rural areas.

Background data

Table 18e: Smoking by urban rural category, persons aged 16-64, 2002

Table 18f: Mortality rate per 100,000 from coronary heart disease, Persons aged 15-64

Table 18g: Mortality rate per 100,000 from coronary heart disease, persons aged 15-64 by Carstairs deprivation quintile

Table 18h: Mortality rate per 100,000 from coronary heart disease, persons aged 15-64 by urban rural, 2002

Availability of data and references

Information from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey will be available in 2004/05.

Scottish Health Survey
www.show.scot.nhs.uk/scottishhealthsurvey/

Scottish Household Survey
www.scotland.gov.uk/about/SR/CRU-SocInc/00016002/SHShome.aspx

Annex to the Social Justice Annual Report 2002
www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/social/emsjt-00.asp

Vital Events Reference Tables 2002, Section 6: Deaths - causes
www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/grosweb/grosweb.nsf/pages/02reference-table6

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