A Fair Start? Child Mortality and Morbidity in the South West.

Bray, Issy; Brown, P; Cooke, H; Parker, L

Abstract

Children in the South West region are, overall, healthier
than their counterparts in other regions. However, many of
the child deaths and much of the morbidity are potentially
avoidable, suggesting that there is still considerable room
for improvement.

In order to understand how best these improvements
can be made, and which areas, causes and population
groups should be prioritised, it is essential to understand
variations by age group, sex, deprivation and geography.
This report has used readily available sources of
information to highlight some of these variations. Findings
of particular importance are:
• Infant mortality rates are generally low in the region
compared to England. Latest estimates suggest that
the inequalities target for the South West is tough
but achievable by 2010. In addition, the region does
not compare favourably to some of its European
counterparts on child health indicators, highlighting the
fact that there is more to be done. If infant mortality
in the South West as a whole was at the level of the
quintile with the lowest mortality, about 50 infant lives
could be saved each year.
• Mortality rates in children aged 1–19 are generally
lower than in the first year of life, but these still exhibit
a steep socioeconomic gradient and a large proportion
are potentially avoidable. The main causes of death
vary by age and sex, but injuries, suicides and cancers
are the biggest contributors, making up over 50% of all
causes. Almost two-thirds of male deaths and half of
female deaths are classified as potentially avoidable.
• There is also strong evidence of a steep
socioeconomic gradient for child morbidity in the
region.
• Hospital admission rates in the South West are higher
than for England, and the causes of these admissions
vary by age, sex and deprivation. In younger children
(aged 0–4) acute respiratory infections predominate,
while the most common causes in children aged 5–14
are injuries, especially in boys. The most common
reason for admissions in the 15–19 age group is
neoplasms and accidents for boys, and abdominal
pain, nausea and vomiting, and abortive pregnancy for
girls. Deliberate self-harm features among the reasons
for emergency admission of girls of 15–19.
• Generally, injuries, self-harm, abortive pregnancy and
ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions contribute most
to childhood morbidity in the South West.

These results show that, despite the fact that children
in the South West are, on average, healthier than their
counterparts elsewhere in England, there are still large
numbers suffering from potentially avoidable conditions,
which in some cases result in death. The majority of these
cases appear to be concentrated in the most deprived
communities. It is therefore paramount that decisions
and interventions focused on the health of children in the
South West are targeted at the populations most at risk
and at potentially avoidable causes.

• Other Type: Other
• Publication Date: Sep 1, 2010
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 8, 2019
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: adolescent, age groups, aged, child, children, death, disease, disability, health status, health, public health, health promotion, ill health, juvenile delinquency, mortality, older people, very old people, vulnerable road users, young people
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/975439
• Publisher URL: http://www.swpho.nhs.uk/resource/item.aspx?RID=78504