Fit and Well - Changing Lives - Department of Health, Social ...

Wales 77.5 81.7
UK 78.1 82.1
Fig 3 - Life expectancy at birth in the UK, 2008-10
Life expectancy is used internationally as a measure of population health. Life
expectancy in NI was lower than in the rest of the UK, with the exception of Scotland.
Males and females in NI could expect to live 1.4 and 1.0 years less on average than
their counterparts in England respectively.
Figure 4 - NI Period life expectancy at birth 1981 to 2009 by gender
Life expectancy (years)
84
82
80
78
76
74
72
70
68
66
64
62
Life expectancy between 1980-82 and 2008-10 increased steadily for both males and
females by almost 8 and 6 years. Female life expectancy has consistently been
higher than that for males however as male life expectancy has grown at a faster rate
since 1981, the gender gap has declined from 6.4 years to 4.4 years in 2009.
Life expectancy here is projected to continue to increase to around 86 years for
males and 90 years for females by 2059.
Gap in Life Expectancy
Gender Gap Male Female
While there are some signs of general improvement, not everyone has been able to
avail fully of the benefits of this progress. Unfortunately, social inequality has
endured to the extent that health outcomes for some groups remain poorer than for
others, and smoking, obesity, misuse of drugs and alcohol, teenage conception
rates, poor mental health are disproportionally concentrated amongst particular
deprived groups.
26
10
8
6
4
2
0
Gender Gap (years)