An article compared mortality in men in England and Wales between 2001 and 2003 by reference (for the first time) to the National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification introduced in 2001. Men working in routine jobs (class 7) were nearly three times more likely than directors and chief executives of major organisations (class 1.1) to die before 65.
Source: Chris White, Myer Glickman, Brian Johnson and Tania Corbin, 'Social inequalities in adult male mortality by the National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification, England and Wales, 2001-03', Health Statistics Quarterly 36, Winter 2007, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article | ONS press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Nov
In the winter period (December to March) of 2006-07 there were 23,900 more deaths in England and Wales than the average for the non-winter months, according to provisional estimates. This was a fall of 5 per cent compared with the winter of 2005-06.
Source: Press release 28 November 2007, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: ONS press release | Age Concern press release
Date: 2007-Nov
A new model for forecasting mortality rates found that British men could live 12 years longer than previously predicted.
Source: Press release 26 November 2007, Pensions Institute/City University (020 7040 8600)
Links: Pensions Institute press release
Date: 2007-Nov
An article examined trends in cancer incidence by deprivation in England and Wales, and at the government office region (GOR) and Wales level over the period 1990-2002. The results showed that the deprivation gap in lung cancer incidence had widened in the majority of GORs and Wales, particularly in males. For prostate cancer, where incidence was generally higher among those living in the least deprived areas, the deprivation gap had also widened in the majority of GORs and Wales.
Source: Steve Rowan, 'Trends in cancer incidence by deprivation, England and Wales, 1990-2002', Health Statistics Quarterly 36, Winter 2007, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article
Date: 2007-Nov
A report said that variations in life expectancy among social classes persisted, according to new data derived from the ONS Longitudinal Study for the period 2002-2005. Although life expectancy had risen for all social classes over the previous 30 years, people in professional occupations had the longest expectation of life, and people in unskilled manual occupations had the shortest expectation of life.
Source: Trends in Life Expectancy by Social Class 1972-2005, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: Report | ONS press release | BBC report
Date: 2007-Oct
An article presented proposed changes in the methods used to estimate life expectancy by social class using the ONS Longitudinal Study.
Source: Brian Johnson and Louisa Blackwell, 'Review of methods for estimating life expectancy by social class using the ONS Longitudinal Study', Health Statistics Quarterly 35, Autumn 2007, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article
Date: 2007-Aug
In 2006, there were 502,599 deaths registered in England and Wales, representing a fall of 2.1 per cent from 2005. This was the lowest annual number of death registrations since 1954.
Source: 'Death registrations in England and Wales: 2006, causes', Health Statistics Quarterly 34, Summer 2007 (web supplement), Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article | ONS press release
Date: 2007-Jun
An article examined two definitions of avoidable mortality which were used to present trends in death rates for those aged under 75 in England and Wales from 1993 to 2005. Analysis of both definitions showed a substantial decline in mortality from causes of death that were amenable to medical intervention. Death rates from causes that were considered preventable decreased by a larger amount among males than females.
Source: Levin Wheller, Allan Baker, Clare Griffiths and Cleo Rooney, 'Trends in avoidable mortality in England and Wales, 1993?2005', Health Statistics Quarterly 34, Summer 2007, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article | ONS press release
Date: 2007-May
A paper examined how many children in the birth cohort (from which the Millennium Cohort Study was sampled) did not survive long enough to be included in the survey which took place at 9 months. The Millennium Cohort Study had not missed a great number of very short lives in the birth cohort it was following.
Source: Andrew Cullis, Infant Mortality in the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) Sample Areas, Centre for Longitudinal Studies/University of London (020 7612 6875)
Links: Paper
Date: 2007-Apr
A report said that since the 1990s there had been some success in reducing the number of stillbirths in multiple pregnancies, and in babies born prematurely: but the incidence in singleton pregnancies had remained level.
Source: Perinatal Mortality 2005: England Wales and Northern Ireland, Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health (020 7486 1191)
Links: Report | Summary | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Apr
A new book said that early-age mortality remained a significant social problem. It proposed new ways of defining and tackling the problem of persistent mortality differentials.
Source: Eilidh Garrett, Chris Galley, Nicola Shelton and Robert Woods (eds.), Infant Mortality: A continuing social problem, Ashgate Publications (01235 827730)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Mar
Date: 2007-Feb
A report said that death rates in more deprived areas of Scotland were falling more slowly than in affluent areas. The age-standardized mortality rate in Scotland fell by 30 per cent for men and 25 per cent for women between 1981 and 2001: but male mortality rates in Clydeside were 17 per cent higher than the Scottish average in 2001, compared with only 9 per cent in 1981.
Source: Alastair Leyland, Ruth Dundas, Philip McLoone and Andrew Boddy, Inequalities in Mortality in Scotland 1981-2001, MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit/University of Glasgow (0141 357 3949)
Links: Report | MRC press release | BBC report
Date: 2007-Feb
A discussion paper examined data on the life expectancy of men aged 65 from England and Wales over 20-year periods up to 1982, 1992, and 2002. The upward sloping trends provided convincing confirmation of the uncertainty attached to longevity improvements. Upper confidence bounds for life expectancy were increased substantially.
Source: David Blake, Andrew Cairns and Kevin Dowd, Facing up to the Uncertainty of Life: The longevity fan charts, Pensions Institute/City University (020 7040 8600)
Links: Discussion paper
Date: 2007-Jan