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

Coronary Heart Disease - first ever hospital admission for heart attack aged under 75 years

In 2012, around 4,750 new cases of heart attack (for those aged under 75 years) were recorded in Scottish hospitals. Since 1997, the rate of admissions has fallen by 30%. However, the recent trend has been increasing again after admissions reached their lowest level in 2007.

The latest admission rate is nearly three times higher in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived (162.0 compared to 58.8 cases per 100,000 population). Relative inequality fell between 2003 and 2008, but, having reached its lowest level in 2008, has been steadily increasing. Similarly, despite consecutive falls between 2003 and 2007, absolute inequality has also increased in recent years to its highest level since 2003.

The latest patterns reflect the faster rate at which admissions are rising in Scotland's most deprived areas compared to the least deprived. The admission rate in the most deprived areas has increased by 45% since 2007 and by 15% in the last year. In contrast, the rate in the least deprived areas increased by 6% from 2007 and decreased by 10% in the last year.

Inequalities gradient in 2012

Relative Index of Inequality (RII) over time

Absolute range over time

Scale / context