Institute Publishes Localised Health Information For North And The South Of The Island, Ireland

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 12 Aug 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) launched two datasets that can be easily used to make more comprehensive comparisons between different areas of the island. The two datasets are called The All-Ireland Health and Social Care Indicator Set and Irish Health Poverty Index. They consist of 60 health-related indicators that are now available for every county in the Republic of Ireland and every local government district in Northern Ireland.

Regional comparisons can help guide national and local efforts to improve health and reduce inequalities. They can help identify local needs, assist with planning and delivering health and social services, support national co-ordination of local efforts and help to monitor progress.

The All-Ireland Health and Social Care Indicator Set includes a total of 16 health and social care indicators such as life expectancy, premature deaths, cancer incidence and hospital admission rates. In compiling this information IPH extended an existing data collection system - the Northern Ireland Health Inequalities Monitoring System - previously only used in Northern Ireland. It is the first time that male and female life expectancy has been made available at county level in the Republic of Ireland.

The second data set the Irish Health Poverty Index consists of 44 indicators that relate to a broader range of social, economic and environmental factors and health and social services issues that affect health. The Index includes details about the population's health, smoking and other lifestyle issues, housing and social capital, again broken down to county and local government district levels for the first time. In compiling this information, IPH adapted an approach previously only used in England - the English Health Poverty Index - to the island of Ireland.

The work was undertaken by Ireland and Northern Ireland's Population Health Observatory (INIsPHO) in the Institute of Public Health. Summaries of the two datasets are available on the Observatory's website (http://www.inispho.org) and the datasets have been incorporated into the Observatory's data website (http://www.inispho.org/edata) where anyone with access to the internet can map and chart the indicators.

The Director of INIsPHO, Dr. Kevin Balanda, said: "These datasets could form the basis of more comprehensive area-level health and well being profiles across the island that will help health planners to tailor health and social services to meet local needs.

"This data allows people to look at the health situation in their own county or in their own local government district. We are beginning to build a picture of health at the local level allowing people and planers to see how they compare with others in their jurisdiction and across the island.

"These datasets highlight many differences in health and well-being across the island, and we hope will stimulate interest in why this is so, and what can be learnt from other areas that face similar issues."

Report Highlights

The All-Ireland Health and Social Care Indicator Set

Life Expectancy at birth

This refers to life expectancy at birth during the period 2002-2004. It is the first time that male and female life expectancy has been made available at county level in the Republic of Ireland.

- The all-Ireland life expectancy was 75.6 years for males and 80.6 years for females.

- Life expectancy was 75.9 years for males and 80.6 years for females in Northern Ireland.

- Life expectancy was 75.5 years for males and 80.6 years for females in the Republic of Ireland.

- Ballymoney (in Northern Ireland) had the highest life expectancy for both males and females across the whole island (as well as in Northern Ireland) with life expectancy of 78.1 and 82.4 years respectively.

- Roscommon had the highest life expectancy in the Republic of Ireland for both males and females, 76.9 and 82.2 years respectively.

- In Northern Ireland, Belfast had the lowest life expectancy for males at 73.5 years. In the Republic of Ireland, Leitrim had the lowest life expectancy for males of 72.8 years.

- In Northern Ireland, Derry had the lowest life expectancy for females of 79.3 years. In the Republic of Ireland, Limerick at had the lowest life expectancy for females of 79.3 years.

Premature Deaths

This refers to deaths occurring in 2004 amongst persons aged less than 75 years.

- The standardised premature death rate in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland was 324.9 and 347.6 per 100,000 persons respectively.

- The highest standardised premature death rate on the island was in Belfast (32% higher than the all-Island rate) and the lowest in Roscommon (27% lower than the all-island rate).

- The highest standardised premature death rate in the Republic of Ireland was in Louth (379.3 per 100,000 persons); the lowest in Roscommon (242.8 per 100,000 persons).

- The highest standardised premature death rate in Northern Ireland was in Belfast (242.8 per 100,000 persons); the lowest in Magherafelt (274.5 per 100,000 persons).

Irish Health Poverty Index

Suicide

This reflects the rate of suicides occurring per 100,000 people during the years 2001-2004.

- During the years 2001-2004, the suicide rate was 47% higher in the Republic of Ireland (12.4 per 100,000) than in Northern Ireland (8.4 per 100,000)

- Offaly (61% higher than the island rate), Cork (55% higher than the island rate), and Leitrim (47% higher than the island rate) had the highest suicide rates on the island

- Moyle (59% lower than the island rate), Dungannon (58% lower than the island rate), and Coleraine (56% lower than the island rate) had the lowest suicide rates on the island.

NOTE: The contrasting suicide rates in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are striking, and may be partly due to differences in the methods used to establish suicide rates in the two jurisdictions.

Effective vaccination service

This refers to the average percentage uptake of the six vaccines for diphtheria (D3), pertussis (P3), tetanus (T3), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib3), meningococcal group C (MenC3), and measles, mumps and rubella (MMR1) at age 24 months.

- The average uptake of child immunisation was higher in Northern Ireland (97%) than in the Republic of Ireland (90%).

- Immunisation uptake in Northern Ireland ranged from 94% in Dungannon to 99% in Larne. No local government district in Northern Ireland had an average update below the all-island average of 92%.

- Immunisation uptake in the Republic of Ireland was more variable. In the Republic of Ireland the lowest average uptake was in Waterford (85%), Kildare (86%), Wicklow (86%), Dublin (87%) and Wexford (88%). In the Republic of Ireland the highest average uptake was in the midlands (Laois 98%, Offaly 98%, Longford 97%, Westmeath 97%).

- Across the island, average uptake was highest in Northern Ireland and in the north-west and midland areas of the Republic of Ireland.

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland promotes co-operation for public health between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Its remit includes monitoring and surveillance, and its priority is to combat health inequalities and influence public policy in favour of health. Further information can be found at http://www.publichealth.ie.

Ireland and Northern Ireland's Population Health Observatory (INIsPHO)

The Population Health Observatory was established in 2005 in the Institute of Public Health to produce and disseminate health information and intelligence in order to improve health and reduce health inequalities.

Ireland and Northern Ireland's Population Health Observatory