An article examined changes in inequality in disability-free life expectancy over time between local areas in England, grouped according to relative deprivation. The prevalence of limiting long-standing illness or disability (LLSI) among both males and females rose incrementally with increasing levels of deprivation in both periods examined. Males and females in the most deprived areas were more than 1.5 times more likely to report LLSI compared with those in the least deprived areas.
Source: Michael Smith, Olugbenga Olatunde and Chris White, 'Inequalities in disability-free life expectancy by area deprivation: England, 2001-04 and 2005-08', Health Statistics Quarterly 48, Winter 2010, Office for National Statistics
Links: Article
Date: 2010-Nov
A bulletin said that life expectancy in England had continued to increase for both males and females, reaching 78.0 and 82.1 years respectively in 2007-2009 – an increase of 2.8 years for males since 1998-2000, and an increase of 2.0 years for females.
Source: Mortality Monitoring Bulletin (Life expectancy, all-age-all-cause mortality, and mortality from selected causes, overall and inequalities), Department of Health
Links: Bulletin | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2010-Oct
An article examined the potential of the General Household Survey to provide an inter-censal measure of health expectancies in small areas experiencing differing degrees of deprivation.
Source: Michael Smith, Olugbenga Olatunde and Chris White, 'Monitoring inequalities in health expectancies in England – small area analyses from the Census 2001 and General Household Survey 2001-05', Health Statistics Quarterly 46, Summer 2010, Office for National Statistics
Links: Article
Date: 2010-May
An article examined inequalities in health outcomes in rural areas. For the 2001-2007 period, life expectancy at birth in England was 76.9 years for males and 81.3 years for females. However, when deprivation was examined, results between the most deprived and least deprived quintiles varied by 7.8 years for men and 5.4 years for women. Overall, life expectancy was higher in rural areas than in urban areas.
Source: Lynsey Kyte and Claudia Wells, 'Variations in life expectancy between rural and urban areas of England, 2001-07', Health Statistics Quarterly 46, Summer 2010, Office for National Statistics
Links: Article | Guardian report
Date: 2010-May
An article examined inequalities in healthy life expectancy (HLE) by socio-economic position in England. A predominantly linear relationship was present with HLE increasing with rising social class. The differences observed in HLE at birth and at age 65 between people assigned to the professional and unskilled manual social classes were statistically significant and substantial, demonstrating a clear social inequality in the amount of life, the quality of those years lived, the absolute number of healthy life years, and thus the relative proportion of life spent in 'good' or 'fairly good' health.
Source: Chris White and Grace Edgar, 'Inequalities in healthy life expectancy by social class and area type: England, 2001-03', Health Statistics Quarterly 45, Spring 2010, Office for National Statistics
Links: Article | ONS press release | TAEN press release
Date: 2010-Feb
An article examined inequalities in disability-free expectancy (DFLE) by socio-economic position in England. A predominantly linear relationship was present with DFLE increasing with rising social class. The differences observed in DFLE at birth and at age 65 between people assigned to the professional and unskilled manual social classes were statistically significant and substantial, demonstrating a clear social inequality in the amount of life, the functional health status during those years lived, their absolute number, and thus the relative proportion of life spent free from a limiting long-term illness or disability.
Source: Chris White and Grace Edgar, 'Inequalities in disability-free life expectancy by social class and area type: England, 2001-03', Health Statistics Quarterly 45, Spring 2010, Office for National Statistics
Links: Article | TAEN press release
Date: 2010-Feb