NI Health and Social Care Inequalities Monitoring System – Health Inequalities In Northern Ireland: Key Facts 2015

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has published key facts on health inequalities in Northern Ireland.

This publication is the first in a biennial series of publications providing an interim update to the Northern Ireland Health & Social Care Inequalities Monitoring system (HSCIMS) Regional reports.

The aim of the key facts are to present the latest position and inequality gaps for a range of health outcomes included within the HSCIMS series, in addition to the Health Survey Northern Ireland (HSNI). Published alongside the key fact sheets are a set of downloadable data which provide a more comprehensive deprivation analysis of HSCIMS and HSNI indicators.

Key Findings

Health outcomes are generally worse in the most deprived areas in Northern Ireland when compared both with those witnessed in the region generally and in the least deprived areas. Large differences (health inequality gaps) continue to exist for a number of different health measures.

• life expectancy increased over the last five years for both males and females, with the gender gap decreasing by 0.3 years to stand at 4.3 years in 2011-13
• males in the 20% most deprived areas (73.6 years) could expect, on average, to live 7.5 fewer years than those in the 20% least deprived areas (81.1 years).
• female life expectancy in the most deprived areas (79.6 years) 4.3 years less than that in the least deprived areas (83.9 years).
• female Healthy Life Expectancy in the most deprived areas of NI was 14.2 years lower than in the least deprived areas in 2011-13, and the gap for males was 11.8 years
• the suicide rate increased by 8% between 2007-09 (14.7 deaths per 100,000 population) and 2011-13 (15.9 deaths per 100,000 population), with the rate in the most deprived areas (29.9 deaths per 100,000 population) more than treble the rate in the least deprived areas (9.3 deaths per 100,000 population).
• almost one in five (19%) of those surveyed in NI indicated that they may have a mental health problem (GHQ12 questionnaire). The rate in the most deprived areas (30%) was double the rate in the least deprived areas (15%)
• smoking prevalence in the most deprived areas (36%) in 2014/15 was three times that in the least deprived areas (12%)
• · The standardised admission rate due to alcohol related causes increased by 5% from 2006/08-2008/09 to stand at 694 admissions per 100,000 population in 2011/12-13/14. The rate in the most deprived areas was more than double the regional rate and over five times that in the least deprived areas
• the teenage birth rate (under 20 years of age) decreased from 15.4 to 11.3 births per 1,000 females between 2009 and 2013. The rate in the most deprived areas was six times the rate in the least deprived areas.
• avoidable mortality fell from 294 deaths per 100,000 population in 2005-09 to 259 deaths per 100,000 population in 2009-13, with rates in the most deprived areas more than double (125% higher) that in the least deprived areas
• the standardised death rate due to circulatory disease in those aged under 75 years decreased by a fifth from 2005-09 (111 deaths per 100,000 population) and stood at 88 deaths per 100,000 population in 2009-13.
• a quarter of NI adults surveyed in 2014/15 (25%) were considered obese compared with a rate of 28% in the most deprived areas and 19% in the 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 Northern Ireland, and has expanded over recent years to include additional work streams relating to health inequality. This publication is the first in a biennial series providing an interim update to the Northern Ireland HSCIMS Regional reports which are published every other year and includes the latest available information. Furthermore, an inequality analysis of the Health Survey Northern Ireland (HSNI) 2014/15 has also been presented.

2. The HSNI 2014/15 first results were published on 11 November 2015 and included information on general health, mental health and wellbeing, diet and nutrition, breastfeeding, oral health, medicines, obesity, smoking, and sexual health. The fieldwork for this survey was conducted between April 2014 and March 2015. Results were based on responses from 4,144 individuals, with a response rate of 64% achieved.

3. Inequalities between the 20% most deprived areas (defined using the 2010 Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure (NIMDM) produced by NISRA) and both the 20% least deprived areas and Northern Ireland as a whole are measured. Results for the most rural areas are also compared against Northern Ireland overall. The definitions for rural and urban areas are consistent with those outlined in the “Report of the Inter-Departmental Urban-Rural Definition Group” (NISRA).

4. All HSCIMS indicators included in the 2014 Northern Ireland HSCIMS Regional report remain. In addition, a number of new indicators relating to pregnancy rates (including teenage) and children with autism have been added.

5. A methodological change to the calculation of Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) and Disability Free Life Expectancy (DFLE) has meant that figures for earlier years contained in this report may differ slightly from those published in previous HSCIMS reports. The change relates to the inclusion of communal establishments for the first time within the calculation of HLE and DFLE which has had a notable effect and means that some figures in this report may not be comparable with those contained in previous publications.

6. The results presented in this publication are based on data from General Register Office, Hospital Inpatient System, Child Health System, Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, Business Services Organisation, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, Community Information Branch (DHSSPS) and the Health Survey Northern Ireland.

7. All HSCIMS reports on the Departmental website.

8. Additional Information

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

Health Inequalities Section
Public Health Information & Research Branch
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Annexe 2, Castle Buildings
Stormont, BT4 3SQ

Tel: 028 90 522501 or 028 90 522043
Fax: 028 90 523288
Email: healthinequalities@dhsspsni.gov.uk

9. Media queries about this press release to DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 0567, or out of office hours contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned. Follow us on Twitter: @healthserviceni

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