Journal of Public Health Medicine 24:120-122 (2002)
© 2002 Faculty of Public Health Medicine of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom
Are socio-economic inequalities in mortality decreasing in Trent Region, UK? An observational study, 1988–1998
Mark Strong
Ravi Maheswaran
Peter R. Fryers
Paul S. White
Public Health GIS Unit, School of Health and Related Research, The University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, Sheffield S1 4DA.
Address correspondence to Dr R. Maheswaran. E-mail: r.maheswaran{at}sheffield.ac.uk
Background There is substantial national interest in the widening gap in socio-economic inequalities. The aim of this study was to examine time trends in age-specific mortality in Trent Region comparing rates by socio-economic deprivation from 1988 to 1998.
Methods Mortality rates from 1988 to 1998 were calculated for each of five deprivation categories (derived using 1991-based enumeration district level Townsend scores) for men and women aged 45–54, 55–64, 65–74 and 75–84 years. Rate ratios (95 per cent confidence intervals) were calculated for the years 1988–1990 and 1996–1998, comparing the most deprived with the least deprived categories.
Results For men aged 45–54, the rate ratio for the most deprived relative to the least deprived category was 2.42 (2.2–2.67) in 1988–1990 and 2.4 (2.17–2.65) in 1996–1998. Amongst women the ratio fell from 2.14 (1.88–2.42) to 1.67 (1.47–1.88). For men aged 55–64, the rate ratio fell from 2.07 (1.95–2.19) to 1.79 (1.67–1.91). For women the fall was from 1.99 (1.84–2.14) to 1.59 (1.46–1.73). For those aged 65–74, the fall was from 1.65 (1.58–1.72) to 1.33 (1.28–1.39) for men and from 1.55 (1.47–1.63) to 1.37 (1.30–1.45) for women. For people aged 75–84, no clear convergence in rates was seen.
Conclusion There appear to be decreases in socio-economic inequalities in mortality between 1988 and 1998 in Trent Region. These trends run counter to those described in the majority of recent literature.
Keywords: socio-economic deprivation, mortality, inequalities
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