How sick is the West of Scotland? Age-specific comparisons with national datasets on a range of health measures

West, P., Ford, G., Hunt, K. , Macintyre, S. and Ecob, R. (1994) How sick is the West of Scotland? Age-specific comparisons with national datasets on a range of health measures. Scottish Medical Journal, 39, pp. 101-109.

Full text not currently available from Enlighten.

Abstract

The Central Clydeside Conurbation (CCC) has relatively high mortality rates. This paper examines whether it also has relatively high rates of ill health, using data from three cohorts (aged 15, 35 and 55 in 1987/88) in the West of Scotland. Comparisons on a range of self-reported physical and mental health indicators, anthropometric measures, blood pressure, and respiratory function were made with comparable age groups in ten British or Scottish national studies. The older two cohorts in the CCC exhibited relatively high rates of longstanding and limiting longstanding illness and the youngest cohort had relatively poor psychosocial health, compared to their age peers elsewhere. Fewer differences were found in blood pressure, anthropometric measures or respiratory function although older CCC residents were slightly shorter than in Britain as a whole and had slightly poorer respiratory function. Central Clydesiders in the late 1980s were generally in poorer health than those of the same sex and similar age elsewhere in the UK, but the extent of the disadvantage varied across different dimensions of health, and was not as marked as some stereotypes of the West of Scotland would suggest.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Hunt, Professor Kathryn and Macintyre, Professor Sally and Ford, Prof Gary
Authors: West, P., Ford, G., Hunt, K., Macintyre, S., and Ecob, R.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU
Journal Name:Scottish Medical Journal
ISSN:0036-9330

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record