DHSSPS publish Northern Ireland inequalities report
The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) has published a new report on health inequalities within Health & Social Care (HSC) Trusts and Local Government Districts (LGD).
The ‘Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Inequalities Monitoring System – Sub-regional 2015’ report provides the up-to-date picture in relation to area differences in morbidity, mortality, utilisation and access to health and social services.
Key Points
Health outcomes are generally worse in the most deprived areas within each Trust/LGD when compared with those witnessed in the Trust/LGD as a whole. Large differences (health inequality gaps) continue to exist for a number of different health measures.
HSC trust inequalities
Life Expectancy inequality gaps
• The inequality gaps for both male and female life expectancy in 2010-12 were high in the Belfast Trust (5.5 and 3.5 years respectively) with large gaps also experienced in the Western Trust (4.8 years for males and 3.3 years for females).
Largest health inequality gaps
• The largest inequality gaps in health outcomes commonly experienced within each of the Trusts were alcohol related admissions (ranging from 88% in the Southern to 138% in the Western Trust), alcohol related mortality (83% in the Northern to 158% in the Western Trust), and self-harm admissions (86% in the Southern to 107% in the Western Trust).
• Other relatively large gaps were experienced across all Trusts for teenage birth rate (ranging from 58% in the Northern to 106% in the South Eastern Trust) and drug related admissions (from 88% in the Southern to 107% in the Western Trust).
Most notable decreases in Trust inequality gaps
• Within each Trust there were only one or two marked decreases in inequality gaps over the period analysed.
• The most notable decrease was seen in the Southern Trust where the gap in childhood obesity narrowed by over a third from 47% to 33% between 2008/09-10/11 and 2010/11-12/13.
Most notable increases in Trust inequality gaps
• The number of marked increases in Trust inequality gaps was also relatively small ranging from one in the Belfast and South Eastern Trusts to four in the Western Trust.
• The most notable increase was seen in the Western Trust where the gap in the standardised death rate for lung cancer widened from 34% to 58% between 2004-08 and 2008-12.
Local government district inequalities
Life Expectancy inequality gaps
• The inequality gaps for male life expectancy in 2010-12 was high in the Belfast and Derry & Strabane LGDs (both 4.5 years), with large gaps were also experienced in Mid & East Antrim (4.3 years) and Lisburn & Castlereagh (4.1 years) LGDs.
• Belfast also saw a large life expectancy gap for females (3.4 years). Other large gaps were experienced in Causeway Coast & Glens, Derry & Strabane and Mid & East Antrim (all 2.5 years).
Largest health inequality gaps
• The largest inequality gaps in health outcomes commonly experienced within each of the LGDs were alcohol related admissions (ranging from 57% in Mid Ulster to 127% in the Mid & East Antrim LGD), drug related admissions (60% in Fermanagh & Omagh to 126% in the Mid & East Antrim LGD), and self-harm admissions (51% in Fermanagh & Omagh to 126% in the Antrim & Newtownabbey LGD).
• Suicide was one of the largest gaps for all LGD areas with the exception of Antrim & Newtownabbey.
• Teenage Birth rates were also one of the largest inequality gaps for the majority of LGDs with the exception of Derry & Strabane, Fermanagh & Omagh, and Mid Ulster LGDs.
Most notable decreases in LGD inequality gaps
• Within each LGD there were only one or two marked decreases in inequality gaps over the period analysed. Notable improvements were seen in gaps for cancer related mortality in the Fermanagh & Omagh LGD (from 19% in 2004-08 to 9% in 2008-12), breastfeeding in Mid & East Antrim (from 31% in 2009 to 16% in 2013) and the crude suicide rate in the Causeway Coast & Glens LGD (from 93% in 2004-08 to 48% in 2008-12).
Most notable increases in LGD inequality gaps
• Notable increases in LGD inequality gaps were seen in the Mid & East Antrim LGD where the gap in the standardised death rate for respiratory disease increased fivefold from 5% to 25% between 2004-08 and 2008-12, and also in the inequality gap in suicide rates within the North Down & Ards LGD, which more than trebled from 17% to 56%.
To download the report, visit: http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/index/statistics/health-inequalities.htm
