Poor in Scotland twice as likely to die in accidents as middle classes

By Jennifer O’Mahony
Published on Saturday 31 December 2011 01:18

ADULTS and children from the most deprived areas of Scotland are twice as likely to die from an accidental injury than those from the most affluent postcodes, new figures show.

Some 1,364 deaths were recorded in 2010 in an Office of National Statistics (ONS) report for NHS Scotland as due to “unintentional injuries” such as road accidents, poisoning, and violent crimes like stabbings and shootings. However, the vast majority were from falls.

Of these deaths, the bottom fifth of the population in terms of deprivation was listed as having a Standard Mortality Ratio (SMR) for children of 119.3, compared with just 54.7 in the top fifth.

Figures for adults were similar with an SMR of 125.2 for the bottom 20 per cent and 65.1 for the top 20 per cent.

The SMR is a measure of deaths and is based on a calculation of actual and expected numbers of fatalities.

“Unintentional injury” is the NHS classification used where the victim has not deliberately inflicted injury on him or herself, but is admitted to hospital or dies as a result.

The report showed the most common reason for emergency hospital admission due to an accident in 2010-11 was falling over, at 55 per cent of all admissions. The second most frequent category was for “other” reasons (17.2 per cent). Traffic accidents accounted for just 5 per cent of emergency stays in hospital.

Falling was also the most common cause of accidental death, with 80 per cent of deaths by falling accounted for by the 75-plus age group.

Elizabeth Lumsden, community safety manager at the Royal Scoiety for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Scotland, said: “There needs to be more investigation into why deprivation should be such a crucial factor in the prevalence of injuries. Historically, there has been a link between deprivation and certain types of accidental injuries.

“These latest figures would suggest there is more of a relationship between injuries over and above those from pedestrian and fire-related accidents and this would certainly warrant further investigation.

“Those who are more income-deprived suffer poorer health and we know this is a major factor in falls which is one of the biggest causes of death and injury – especially in older people.”

The report did not specify the reasons for the disparity between Scotland’s richest and poorest citizens, but it is thought that substandard housing, poor health and more crime in deprived areas as well as greater middle class awareness about child safety were relevant.

The report also revealed that in geographical terms, the highest recorded number of accidents was in the west of Scotland – Glasgow City local authority is home to 31 per cent of the most deprived areas in Scotland.

However, Glasgow was only slightly over-represented in proportion to its size, with 14 per cent of emergency hospital admissions in 2010-11 for its 11 per cent of the Scottish population.

• Health and class: every hospital admission for an accident in Scotland 2004-2011 - Click here to compare local authorities’ emergency hospital admission numbers from 2004-2011, and how they make up the Scottish percentage as a whole

Edinburgh, with 8 per cent of the Scottish population, had 9.3 per cent of admissions, also slightly more than would be expected of its size.

Accidental injuries accounted for one in seven emergency hospital admissions for children in 2010-11, and one in 19 childhood deaths.

Boys and men accounted for the majority of emergency hospital admissions for accidents in 2010-11 until the age of 74, when the rate of women admitted tripled, from fewer than 1,500 per 100,000 population at ages 15-74 to around 4,400 per 100,000 population at 75 and over.

SNP work and pensions spokeswoman Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP said: “This report underlines the obvious connection between people’s opportunities and welfare and deprivation. It also demonstrates the urgency there is to equip the Scottish Parliament with the powers so that it can tackle poverty.

“The SNP recognises that the Westminster-controlled welfare system is broken and needs to be fixed, but not at the expense of our most vulnerable people.

“We support a welfare system that is simpler, makes work pay and lifts people out of poverty. However this approach is being fundamentally undermined by the UK government’s deep and damaging cuts to benefits and services that will impact on some of the most vulnerable people.”

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13

AuldLochinvar

Sunday, January 1, 2012 at 07:47 PM

Some of the facts of natural selection are purely accidental. Peahens seem to have naturally selected to mate with ridiculously ornate peacocks, and a runaway feedback effect has led to a cock bird that for all sensible analyses if an absurdity. Not that I don't admire them myself, it's just that I refuse to credit peafowl with the sort of virtues some folk in this thread attribute to people who, let's face it were just lucky. Even the fact that I myself am a brilliant thinker is not something for which I can claim any credit.

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12

Tartancult

Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 07:38 PM

Rather obvious. The middle class employs the working class to perform menial tasks therefore the working class are exposed to more danger.....................My butler told me this so it must be correct as he is educated way beyond his station.

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11

Pilrig.

Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 03:21 PM

Amazin' how threids such as this bring oot the tory residue frae under their shell.

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10

thomas

Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 12:44 PM

Well Well Well... Yet another abdication of personal responsibility.. Perhaps the so called non poor have a better record because they are used to looking after themselves as they have no social workers, beneftis agency or housing department to look after them and sort out their car crash lives!!, and when left alone they dont know how to look after themselves... But hey its never their fault is it?? No it is the non poors fault for not providing them with carers 24 hours a day..

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9

Irritatingly Intelligent Chauvinist

Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 12:24 PM

Makes sense. The poor are poor usually because they're a bit thick, not having stuck in at school and all that to get a better paying job. So being a bit thicker than the rest, one would expect more accidents from them.

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8

Centris

Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 10:44 AM

Chip pan! Have not seen one of em in years. Would have liked to have seen a breakdown on the number of elderly admitted to hospital as the result of falls on frozen untreated surfaces. Other incidents classed as "falling over", how many were under the influence? As for the statement that the working class has less of an understanding on child safety than the middle classes is simply patronising, the school run by middle class parents has done more to endanger schoolchildren in and around schools as they rush to collect their little darlings.

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7

klaus doobie

Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 10:33 AM

I was going to suggest RSPoA really lacks credibility with this call for 'an investigation'. However, it's likely to end up with being handed a big wad of taxpayers money judging by the way that the SNP rep has tried to develop another (basically racist) conspiracy theory.

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6

klaus doobie

Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 10:26 AM

#3 'tis the bald truth. The same answer applies to: why are the children of wealthy parents more likely to go on to further education?; why are the major political parties dominated by ex-oxbridge alumni?; etc..

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Hector the Lessor

Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 07:37 AM

Well I must admit #4 is persistent. I think I preferred the guy from Hong Kong who was selling cheap training shoes. Still it is nice that folk round the world are interested in Scotland, even those who do not know what it is all about and maybe intellectually challenged. Heh, don't knock him, not everyone is intellectually advanced as the Scots.

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4

[e-mail]

Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 06:54 AM

Comment removed by moderator

3

Aristotle

Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 06:40 AM

Darwin described it as natural selection.

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2

Hector the Lessor

Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 06:24 AM

Right on the ball #1, also empty bottles lying around on the floor. I can recommend a rotary fryer for OAP's, magic machine, easy to clean makes more chips than you and your mates could eat in one sitting. Thermostatic control and if you set it alight it could be a world first. Ensuring a clean and tidy mind would require a Quango. If you accept the folk who originally left empty bottles around on the floor were the best to employ, then you have just given employment opportunities to folk who would appreciate how to avoid leaving empty bottles lying around on the floor.

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1

Mareng

Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 05:00 AM

No mention of the classic Scottish DeathInjury cause........... THE CHIP-PAN FIRE. (usually around midnight - 2am, after a prolonged drinking session) Mostly limited to council housing.

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