Long Term Monitoring of Health Inequalities: Headline Indicators – October 2014

Cancer- deaths aged 45-74 years

The mortality rate for cancer amongst those aged 45-74 years has fallen by 20% since 1997 (to 406.2 per 100,000, in 2012). People in this age group who live in the most deprived areas are more than twice as likely to die of cancer than those in the least deprived (607.1 per 100,000, compared to 291.3 per 100,000, in 2012).

Between 1997 and 2009, the death rate in the most deprived areas reduced by a similar amount as in the least deprived areas, though there was fluctuation throughout this period. The absolute gap has since narrowed, as mortality rates in the 10% most deprived areas have reduced. However, a similar reduction has not occurred over the same time period in the second, third or fourth most deprived deciles, while rates in the least deprived areas have not continued to decrease. Therefore, relative inequality, which has increased slightly over the long term, has been more stable since 2004, including over the years since 2009.

Inequalities gradient in 2012

Relative Index of Inequality (RII) over time

Absolute range over time

Scale / context