Shocking gap in healthy lifespan for rich and poor

MEN in Glasgow can expect to suffer long-term poor health 15 years earlier than those in some of the neighbouring wealthier suburbs.

Males in the city have the lowest healthy life expectancy in Scotland, the latest official statistics show.

The latest figures show that while in most of Scotland men can expect to have a health lifespan until into their 60s, and the wealthier the area, the longer the healthy life expectation.

On average, males born in the city can expect to live healthily until they are just 54 years of age. For females the figure is slightly higher at 57 years, the second lowest in Scotland.

The statistics, from National Records of Scotland, show two of the wealthier suburbs that neighbour Glasgow to be among the highest.

Men in East Dunbartonshire, which includes towns like Bearsden and Milngavie, can expect 25 years more of a healthy life than in Glasgow.

For males it was the council area with the highest estimate of 69.8 years, compared to Glasgow City at 54.6 years.

East Renfrewshire was not far behind at 68.3 for men and 67 for women.

Glasgow lags far behind the rest of Scotland, where overall the average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 61.7 years and 61.9 years for females. The figures are different from the life expectancy statistics, which show how long a person can expect to live.

Healthy life expectancy is an estimate of the number of years lived in “very good” or ‘good’ general health.

When deprivation is taken into account which includes many of the poorer areas of Glasgow the gap is stark.

Healthy life expectancy for females is 21.5 years more in the least deprived areas compared to the most deprived areas in Scotland. For males that difference increases to 25.1 years.

In parts of Glasgow which have higher levels of deprivation, healthy life expectancy is even lower at 47 for the 10% most deprived areas.