COVID PREYS ON THE POOR..

Deprived areas suffering more

PEOPLE living in the most deprived areas face a higher risk from coronavirus, research revealed yesterday.

Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency and the Department of Health figures show greater mortality levels and infection rates.

The further breakdown by Nisra of Covid-19 deaths revealed age profile, occupations, geographical area and levels of deprivation.

It said there the 764 virus-related deaths represented “17.2% of fatalities here from March 1 to May 21”.

The agency’s research shows when figures are converted to what its calls “age-standardised mortality rates” the number of deaths was “48.2 per 100,000 persons for the time period”.

It said: “Adjusting for differing age structures, Covid-19 related agestandardised mortality rates were highest for the 20% most deprived areas at 60.5 deaths per 100,000 population.

“This compares with an ASMR of 48.2 per 100,000 persons for Northern Ireland as a whole.”

Yesterday, the Department of Health issued figures related to deprivations rates but with regard to infection rates as opposed to mortality.

It said: “The infection rate in the 10% most deprived areas [379 cases per 100,000 population] was a fifth higher than the rate in the 10% least deprived areas [317 cases per 100,000 population] and two-fifths higher than the NI average [272 cases per 100,000 population].”

It added: “The admission rate for Covid-19 [confirmed or suspected cases] in the 10% most deprived areas [581 admissions per 100,000 population] was almost double the rate in the 10% least deprived areas [317 admissions per 100,000 population].”

“While deprivation was found to be an important factor, age was found to have a greater impact.

The standardised admission rate for the population aged 75 and over [2,255 admissions per 100,000 population] was nine times that for the under-75 population.”

NISRA also found four people who have died due to Covid-19 “were in healthcare or care-related jobs”.

One further death with coronavirus has been has been recorded in Northern Ireland, bringing the total reported by the Department of Health to 543.

The DOH records patients having previously tested positive for the virus, whereas Nisra figures are based on the information entered on death certificates,

There were eight new confirmed cases of the virus, bringing the total of infections to 4,862.

The age-standardised mortality rates allow for different age profiles of populations in different parts of the UK or elsewhere so comparisons can be made with regions or age groups.

Nisra said males had a “significantly higher rate of death linked to Covid19”, adding the “ASMR for males was 60.4 deaths per 100,000 of the male population compared with 40.4 deaths per 100,000 females”.

On the geography of the deaths, it added: “Belfast local government district had the highest Covid-19-related ASMR with 81.1 deaths per 100,000, followed by Antrim and Newtownabbey at 64.4 (per 100,000).

“Fermanagh and Omagh had the lowest ASMR of 16.2 [per 100,00], followed by Derry and Strabane with an ASMR of 25.0 [per 100,000].” The Nisra statistics also looked at mortality rates according to deprivation.

The Agency stated: “Adjusting for differing age structures within the population, Covid-19 related ASMRS were highest for the 20% most deprived areas at 60.5 deaths per 100,000 population.

This compares with an ASMR of 48.2 per 100,000 persons for Northern Ireland as a whole.

“The highest Covid-19 related ASMR was found in urban areas [59.0 deaths per 100,000 population].

“This was significantly higher than ASMRS in areas categorised as mixed urban/rural [37.7 deaths per 100,000 population] and rural [30.4 deaths per 100,000 population].

“Proportions of Covid-19 related deaths in Northern Ireland by country of birth are in line with proportions from the Northern Ireland Census in 2011 and show that 89.9% of Covid-19 related deaths were of people born in Northern Ireland.”

AT RISK Disadvantaged children