UK health patterns

• Factors influencing health and morbidity globally:

  • Sanitation
  • Diet
  • Transport systems (In order to deliver food and medical supplies)
  • Education
  • Income
  • Housing quality
  • Population density (and overcrowding in housing)
  • Health care and access to such services
  • Water quality
  • Daylight hours
• Reasons for the health divide in the UK

  1. Poverty: Deindustrialised & northern regions
  2. Occupation: Stressful jobs can cause mental health issues, while manual labour jobs can lead to physical ailments (e.g., lung problems, physical pain). Young carers may also face educational challenges impacting their health.
  3. Urban vs. Rural: Urban areas offer better healthcare access but higher air pollution, leading to lung diseases. Coastal areas like Cornwall have higher skin cancer rates due to sun exposure.
  4. Lifestyle: smoking, alcohol use, poor diet, and lack of exercise
• Life Expectancy and Mortality Rates: On average, people in the northern regions of England have a life expectancy approximately two years shorter than those in the south. Premature death rates in the north are about 20% higher compared to the south. These disparities persist across socio-economic groups, indicating systemic inequalities.
• Chronic Diseases and Obesity: The prevalence of chronic illnesses such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is notably higher in northern regions, with all top sub-regions for COPD prevalence located in the north. Similarly, obesity rates are highest in the North East, reflecting broader health challenges linked to socio-economic factors.
• Health Inequalities and Income Deprivation: Northern regions, particularly deindustrialised areas, face higher levels of income deprivation, which correlate with poorer health outcomes. Conditions like depression and lung disease are more prevalent in these areas, illustrating the impact of poverty on health disparities.
• • Morbidity vs. Mortality: Illness patterns do not always align with mortality trends.
  • Cornwall: High risk of skin cancer but low heart disease rates.
  • Urban Areas: Higher rates of lung cancer due to population density.
• • Local Variations: Significant disparities exist even at smaller scales, such as street or city levels.
  • Example: Life expectancy decreases by 12 years during a 20-minute journey from Lancaster Gate to Mile End on the London Underground.
  • Example: Sheffield's "Fairness on the 83" highlights health disparities along a bus route.
• Life expectancy decreases with increasing distance from London and the southeast, highlighting a stark north-south divide.
• Factors influencing health and morbidity in the UK

  1. Lifestyle Choices: High alcohol consumption, poor diet, lack of exercise, and smoking contribute significantly to cancer and heart disease, the leading causes of mortality. While smoking rates are declining due to policy changes, excessive alcohol use has increased, particularly among middle-aged and middle-class individuals.
  2. Healthcare Access: Urban areas have greater availability of healthcare services, but inner-city hospitals and clinics face significant pressure due to high demand.