An article presented the latest figures on male and female life expectancy at birth for local authorities in the United Kingdom for 2001-2003.
Source: 'Life expectancy at birth by local authorities in the United Kingdom, 1991-1993 and 2001-2003', Health Statistics Quarterly 24, Winter 2004, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
An article examined deaths of children aged under 8 in England and Wales by risk factors collected at birth registration. These included birthweight, multiple birth status, father's social class, mother's age, mother's country of birth and parents' marital status.
Source: Tania Corbin, 'Mortality in children aged under 8', Health Statistics Quarterly 24, Winter 2004, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
An article examined trends in inequalities in infant mortality in England and Wales between 1976 and 2000. It described variations in neonatal, post-neonatal and infant mortality by social class of father, age of mother, registration status, and birthweight.
Source: Joanne Maher and Alison Macfarlane, 'Inequalities in infant mortality: trends by social class, registration status, mother s age and birthweight, England and Wales, 1976-2000', Health Statistics Quarterly 24, Winter 2004, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
An article presented statistics on stillbirths and infant deaths registered in England and Wales that occurred in 2003, for which the infant death records were linked to their corresponding birth records. Very low birthweight babies (under 1,500 grams) were over 100 times more likely to be stillborn or die under one year of age. The infant mortality rate for low birthweight babies (under 2,500 grams) was 23 times higher than normal birthweight babies (2,500 grams or more). The infant mortality rate was highest among mothers aged under 20 (7.9 per 1,000 live births) followed by those aged 40 and over (6.2 per 1,000 live births). It was lowest among mothers in the 30-34 age group (4.3 per 1,000 live births).
Source: 'Infant and perinatal mortality by social and biological factors, 2003', Health Statistics Quarterly 24, Winter 2004, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
An annual series of interim life tables was published for the United Kingdom and constituent countries, for 2001-2003, based on mid-year population estimates for 2001, 2002 and 2003 and data on births, infant deaths and deaths by individual ages for those years.
Source: Interim Life Tables, Government Actuary's Department (020 7211 2600)
Links: Report | GAD press release
Date: 2004-Oct
A report contained data on life expectancy at birth by health and local authorities in the United Kingdom, from 1991-1993 to 2001-2003. For areas in England and Wales, this included revisions to previously published figures, based on revised population estimates. New results were added for 2001-2003. Results for Scotland and Northern Ireland were not amended: but new figures were added for 2000-2002 and 2001-2003.
Source: Life Expectancy at Birth by Health and Local Authorities in the United Kingdom 1991-1993 to 2001-2003, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: Report | ONS press release (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Oct
A report analysed the features of improving mortality in the period 1999-2002. Male mortality continued to improve more quickly than female - by 20 per cent over the previous decade, compared with 5 per cent for females. On average, the mortality of smokers was twice the level of that for non-smokers, with the most striking differences being in the 50-80 age group.
Source: Continuous Mortality Investigation Reports: Number 21, Institute of Actuaries (01865 268205)
Links: Report (pdf) | IOA press release
Date: 2004-Sep
Deaths in England and Wales categorized as 'sudden infant death' dropped in 2003 by 13 per cent. But campaigners expressed doubts about the reliability of the statistics.
Source: 'Sudden infant deaths, 2003', Health Statistics Quarterly 23, Autumn 2004, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Press release 19 August 2004, Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (0870 787 0885)
Links: Article (pdf) | FSID press release
Date: 2004-Aug
A report gave summary statistics on live births, stillbirths and infant deaths registered in 2003 in England and Wales. The stillbirth and perinatal mortality rates, at (respectively) 5.7 and 8.5 per thousand live births and stillbirths, increased for the second consecutive year.
Source: 'Infant and perinatal mortality 2003: health areas, England and Wales', Health Statistics Quarterly 23, Autumn 2004, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Aug
There were 16,139 deaths from accidents, poisoning or violence in England and Wales in 2002, with male deaths accounting for three-fifths of these.
Source: Mortality Statistics: Injury and Poisoning 2002 - England and Wales, Series DH4 27, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: Report (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Jun
539,151 deaths were registered in 2003 in England and Wales, compared with 535,356 registered in 2002, an increase of 0.7 per cent. The infant mortality rate in 2003 was 5.3 deaths registered per 1,000 live births, the same as in 2002.
Source: 'Death registrations in England and Wales, 2003: Causes', Health Statistics Quarterly 22, Summer 2004, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf)
Date: 2004-May
An audit report said that cancer patients were increasingly surviving the disease as a result of the new initiatives launched by the Department of Health and the National Health Service over the previous decade. But the NHS needed to continue to do more to ensure all patients were treated swiftly and appropriately.
Source: Tackling Cancer in England: Saving more lives, National Audit Office (020 7798 7000) HC 364 (Session 2003-04)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | NAO press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Mar
A report said that deaths from cardiovascular disease fell by more than 23 per cent between 1995-97 and 2000-02.
Source: Winning the War on Heart Disease: Progress report 2004, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Report (pdf) | DH press release
Date: 2004-Mar
A report said that substantial future increases in longevity among the elderly were 'highly probable': but the same could not be said for younger generations. There was incontrovertible evidence of a step change in longevity for those born between 1925 and 1945, as a result of reduced smoking and the relatively healthy diet prevalent in post-war years. But people born since World War 2 had experienced little or no mortality improvement in adulthood: in recent years mortality rates for young adults had been hardest hit by increased deaths from drug and alcohol abuse and chronic liver disease. The future course of mortality rates for younger adults was subject to considerable uncertainty, due in particular to potential threats such as a resurgence of infectious diseases and the obesity 'epidemic'.
Source: Press release 15 March 2004, Institute of Actuaries (01865 268205)
Links: IOA press release
Date: 2004-Mar
Infant deaths fell by 3.5 per cent in England and Wales in 2002: but stillbirths rose by 6.7 per cent.
Source: Mortality Statistics: Childhood, infant and perinatal, Series DH3 35, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: Report (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2004-Mar