Long-term Monitoring of Health Inequalities: Headline Indicators - October 2013

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) - deaths aged 45-74 years

Summary

• Following a long-term increase, inequalities have stabilised in relative terms. In absolute terms, despite a slight increase in the latest year reported, inequalities have been narrowing.

Between 1997 and 2011, there has been a considerable decrease in CHD mortality amongst the population aged 45-74 years as a whole. Rates fell by 61% over this period to 125.6 per 100,000 population - the lowest rate in the reporting period (1997 to 2011). However, CHD remains one of Scotland's biggest causes of premature mortality, with around 2,600 deaths occurring in this age group. Premature mortality from CHD is around four times more common in the most deprived areas than the least deprived areas (265 deaths per 100,000 population compared to 61 per 100,000, in 2011). The level of inequality in absolute terms has fallen consistently over time, with only a slight increase in the latest year reported. Between 1997 and 2007, the death rate fell more quickly in the least deprived areas than in the most deprived, resulting in a widening of relative inequality. However, this trend has stabilised since 2007 as greater improvements have been seen in the most deprived areas.

Inequalities gradient in the most recent year available

Relative Index of Inequality (RII) over time

Absolute range over time

Scale / context