Deprived young Scots face greater risk of heart disease

Published on Tuesday 14 July 2009 22:03

YOUNGER Scots from deprived backgrounds are about six times more likely to die from heart disease than those who are better off, research revealed yesterday.

While the number of deaths from heart disease in Scotland is falling, the decline is slowing among Scots from deprived areas, according to the research in the British Medical Journal.

The study found that smoking and unhealthy diets were major contributors to the prevalence of heart problems among people aged 35-44 from poorer areas.

The study, led by Liverpool University epidemiologist Professor Simon Capewell, examined death rates from heart disease in Scotland from 1986 to 2006.

During this period, deaths from coronary heart disease fell in men by 61 per cent and in women by 56 per cent.

But from about 1994, the rate of decline in younger people has slowed – particularly in the most deprived groups.

The most recent figures, published by the NHS's information services division ISD Scotland, show that deaths among the 15 per cent most deprived in Scotland have increased.

In those aged under 75, there were 112 deaths per 100,000 from heart disease in 2007, compared to 110 the previous year, but down from 151 in 2000.

The latest study, which also included researchers based at ISD Scotland, suggests that while deaths have decreased in the last two decades, the drop has been less significant in poorer areas.

The researchers concluded: "These mortality changes reflect social gradients in unhealthy behaviour, lifestyle and circumstances resulting in poor diet and high tobacco consumption leading to unfavourable levels of major coronary heart disease risk factors.

"These inequalities are persisting in spite of the widespread and constant health promotion and health prevention initiatives, which suggests substantial and continuing barriers to healthy changes."

In an accompanying editorial, Professor Alastair Leyland, from the Medical Research Council in Glasgow, said: "Deliberate interventions to reduce inequalities in health through modification of major risk factors have had limited success to date.

"The alternative is to tackle the social inequalities themselves – unequal distribution of power, money, resources, and life chances.

"Although not a quick fix solution, if it works then policies to reduce social inequalities will ultimately reduce inequalities in health associated with all causes that manifest as social gradients and not just coronary heart disease."

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland called for "radical action" over the research.

Ben McKendrick, senior policy and public affairs manager at BHF Scotland, said: "Governments across the UK need to take urgent action to ensure that efforts and resources are focused upon tackling inequalities in every area of policy.

"Higher rates of smoking and obesity in less affluent groups are some of the key reasons behind the inequality gap. Radical action is needed to cut smoking rates, which are still highest in the most deprived groups."

public Health Minister Shona Robison said: "It's unacceptable that people who live in more deprived areas tend to have poorer health. We're working hard to tackle it."

WHAT THE FIGURES SAY

IN THE UK, death rates from coronary heart disease are highest in Scotland and the north of England.

According to the British Heart Foundation, the lowest rates are in the south of England, with medium levels in Wales and Northern Ireland. The premature death rate from heart disease for men living in Scotland is 65 per cent higher than in the south west of England and 112 per cent higher for women.

For more than 25 years these rates have been consistently highest in Scotland, where more than 620,000 people are thought to have heart and circulatory disease. These conditions are the biggest cause of deaths in the country.