Life expectancy at age 65 reached the highest point on record for both men and women. Men aged 65 could expect to live a further 16.6 years, and women a further 19.4 years, if mortality rates remained the same as they were in 2003-2005.
Source: Interim Life Tables, United Kingdom, 1980-82 to 2003-05, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: Report (Excel file) | ONS press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Nov
An article examined recent patterns of mortality and deprivation and illustrated these for leading causes of death. Results were considered by age group, sex, and region. Mortality rates increased with deprivation for both sexes: but the relationship was generally stronger for males. The strongest positive relationships with deprivation were mostly found for smoking-related causes. Those living in the least deprived areas had similar mortality rates, independent of region. There was more geographical variation in mortality for those in the most deprived areas, with highest rates generally in the north.
Source: Ester Romeri, Allan Baker and Clare Griffiths, 'Mortality by deprivation and cause of death in England and Wales, 1999-2003', Health Statistics Quarterly 32, Winter 2006, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article | ONS press release
Date: 2006-Nov
The national suicide rate fell in 2004-05, to stand at its lowest ever level. The three-year average was 8.5 deaths per 100,000, down from a baseline of 9.4 deaths per 100,000 in 1995.
Source: Press release 25 October 2006, Department of Health (020 7210 4850)
Links: DH press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Oct
Deaths in England and Wales during the winter period of 2005-06 exceeded the average for the non-winter period by 25,700, according to provisional estimates. This was a fall of 19 per cent compared with the winter of 2004-05.
Source: Press release 27 October 2006, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: ONS press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Oct
Average life expectancy at birth for Scotland was 74.2 years for males and 79.2 years for females, based on data for the period 2003-2005. In the period 1993-1995 (by comparison) life expectancy had been 71.9 years for males, and 77.5 years for females.
Source: Life Expectancy for Administrative Areas within Scotland, 2003-2005, General Register Office for Scotland (0131 314 4243)
Links: Report | GROS press release
Date: 2006-Sep
An article examined trends in premature mortality for England and Wales from 1950 to 2004. All four measures used showed that levels of premature mortality had decreased markedly over time. The article discussed which mortality indicator and age threshold would be most appropriate for a measure of premature mortality for use in national mortality statistics for England and Wales.
Source: Levin Wheller, Allan Baker and Clare Griffiths, 'Trends in premature mortality in England and Wales, 1950 2004', Health Statistics Quarterly 31, Autumn 2006, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article | ONS press release
Date: 2006-Aug
A discussion paper examined a means of generating estimates of healthy and unhealthy life expectancy consistent with exogenous population mortality data.
Source: Ehsan Khoman and Martin Weale, Incidence-based Estimates of Healthy Life Expectancy for the United Kingdom: Coherence between transition probabilities and aggregate life tables, Discussion Paper 270, National Institute for Economic and Social Research (020 7654 1901)
Links: Discussion paper | Summary
Date: 2006-Apr
Statistics were published on childhood, infant and perinatal deaths in England and Wales in 2004.
Source: Mortality Statistics: Childhood, infant and perinatal - Review of the Registrar General on deaths in England and Wales, 2004, Office for National Statistics (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Mar
An article examined variations in infant mortality from 1983 to 2001 by birthweight, registration status, father's social class, age of mother at birth, and cause of death, among babies of mothers born in countries that represented the largest ethnic minority groups in England and Wales.
Source: Aleks Collingwood Bakeo, 'Investigating variations in infant mortality in England and Wales by mother's country of birth, 1983 2001', Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, Volume 20 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Mar
An article compared estimates of healthy life expectancy and disability-free life expectancy, based on old and new methods for one year (2001). It then presented and compared health expectancies based on the new methodology across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and the entire United Kingdom in 2001.
Source: Claudia Breakwell and Madhavi Bajekal, 'Health expectancies in the UK and its constituent countries, 2001', Health Statistics Quarterly 29, Spring 2006, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article
Date: 2006-Feb
An article presented the latest figures on male and female health expectancy, at birth and at age 65, for the United Kingdom and its four constituent countries in 2002. On average males could expect to live in good or fairly good health for 67.1 years at birth and 12.0 years at age 65. For females, healthy life expectancy at birth was 69.9 years and 14.0 years at age 65.
Source: 'Health expectancies in the UK, 2002', Health Statistics Quarterly 29, Spring 2006, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article
Date: 2006-Feb