Health Inequalities – Life Expectancy Decomposition 2017
Date published:
The Department of Health today published the statistical report ‘Health Inequalities – Life Expectancy Decomposition 2017’.
This biennial publication is one of a series of reports produced as part of the NI Health & Social Care Inequalities Monitoring System (HSCIMS) and presents life expectancy estimates for 2013-15, alongside a comprehensive analysis of the variations in life expectancy.
This analysis explores the extent to which mortality within certain age groups and causes of death contribute to variations in life expectancy between time periods, genders, deprivation levels, urban and rural areas, and between Northern Ireland and England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.
Key findings
- In 2013-15, life expectancy in NI stood at 78.3 years for males and 82.3 years for females, with no change from 2012-14.
- Over the last five years life expectancy in NI increased by 0.9 years for males and 0.4 years for females.
- Since 1980-82, NI life expectancy has grown at a faster rate than in any UK country, but remained lower than that in England and the RoI in 2013-15.
- Higher mortality due to suicide (0.4 years) and cancer (0.3 years) were the largest contributions to the NI-England male life expectancy gap (1.1 years).
- A large proportion of the NI-RoI male life expectancy gap (0.8 years) can be explained by higher mortality from cancer, suicide and mental & behavioural disorders.
- Higher mortality among NI females aged 40-69 years contributed greatly (0.6 years) to the NI-RoI gap (1.0 years).
- The NI-England female life expectancy gap (0.8 years) was mainly due to higher mortality from cancer, maternal & infant conditions, and Coronary Heart Disease & stroke.
- In 2013-15, the differential between male and female life expectancy was 4.0 years, which was mainly attributable to higher death rates for males from cancer (1.4 years), circulatory disease (1.2 years) and suicide (0.6 years).
- Cancer and circulatory disease were large contributors to both male (7.0 years) and female (4.7 years) life expectancy gaps between the most and least deprived areas.
Notes to editors:
1. The Health and Social Care Inequalities Monitoring System (HSCIMS) comprises a basket of indicators which are monitored over time to assess area differences in mortality, morbidity, utilisation of and access to health and social care services in the north of Ireland, and has expanded over recent years to include additional work streams relating to health inequality.
2. Both the HSCIMS and this report define the 20% most and least deprived Super Output Areas according to the 2010 Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure (NIMDM) produced by NISRA. The definitions for rural and urban areas are consistent with those outlined in the ‘Review of the Statistical Classification and Delineation of Settlements’ (NISRA 2015).
3. All NI 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 HSCIMS bulletins. Analyses of other countries in the UK and the RoI are based on official deaths and population data sourced from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Central Statistics Office (CSO) and National Records of Scotland (NRS).
4. Official 2013-15 life expectancy figures for the Republic of Ireland are set for publication in 2018. Figures presented have been produced by the Information Analysis Directorate (IAD), and may differ from official figures produced by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) due to methodological differences.
5. All HSCIMS reports and data tables are available to view and download from the Departmental website at: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/topics/dhssps-statistics-and-research/health-inequalities-statistics
Additional Information
Further information on the Health and Social Care inequalities Monitoring System is available from:
Health Inequalities Section
Public Health Information & Research Branch
Department of Health
Annexe 2, Castle Buildings
Stormont
BelfastBT4 3SQ
Tel: 028 9052 2501 or 028 9052 2043
Fax: 028 9052 3288
Email: healthinequalities@health-ni.gov.uk
Web: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/topics/dhssps-statistics-and-research/health-inequalities-statistics
6. For media enquiries please contact the DoH Press Office on 028 9052 0074. Out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07623 974 383 and your call will be returned.