14-year life expectancy gap between rich and poor

RESIDENTS in wealthier areas of a Scottish city can live up to 14 years longer than those in its poorer areas, a report published today has revealed.

And the life expectancy gap between the most and the least deprived areas of Inverness is growing, according to Dr Margaret Somerville, NHS Highland’s director of public health.

In her annual report, she said the health of the Highland population overall was improving, but more needed to be done to ensure this applied equally to all communities.

Dr Somerville said half of all boys born in the NHS Highland area today could expect to live for 76 years or longer, and half of all girls could expect to live to at least 81.

The area’s death rates from heart disease, cancer and stroke are below the Scottish average.

But the report shows the life expectancy difference between wealthy and poor areas has risen from 5.2 years in 1994-98 and 7.1 years in 2003-7 to almost double that figure now.

It means the average life expectancy of a man living in the Merkinch area of Inverness is 66 years, compared with about 80 for a man in Lochardil, just a couple of miles away, with employment rates and the standard of housing among the factors affecting health.

Dr Somerville said she was keen to see NHS Highland working with other agencies to tackle the issue. “The worst-off in society are likely to suffer most from the economic climate and consequent changes in public sector services, unless we explicitly consider and act on the impact of those changes on them.

“Even then, reducing inequalities in health is difficult, as, to be effective, actions need to be sustainable, requiring long-term commitment from all partners to work together on a shared agenda, with the local communities at the centre,” she said.

The report reveals 4,000 people tried to quit smoking in the NHS Highland area in 2010 – an increase of 5 per cent on 2009 – with the largest number from the most deprived areas.