Copeland Health Profile 2010 - Cumbria County Council

What are the main diseases causing the low level of life expectancy in Copeland
Figure 11: Life expectancy gap and cause of death (The Association of Public Health Observatories)
Most of the difference between life expectancy in Copeland and the average for England as a
whole is related to three main groups of diseases and conditions: circulatory diseases, cancer
and respiratory diseases. Figure 11 shows the proportion of the gap in life expectancy that is
attributed to these causes. It appears that external causes, particularly amongst men in
Copeland, also accounts for a considerable gap in life expectancy.
Infant mortality
Figure 12: Infant mortality trend
Infant death rate per 1,000 live births
E&W Cumbria Copeland
8.0
5.0 4.4
5.0 4.7 4.8 4.4 4.8 4.9
3.9 4.1
4.7
1.4
3.5
1.4
2005 2006 2007 2008 2008
Infant mortality is a good indicator of the overall health of a society. On average each year in
Copeland three infants die before reaching their first birthday. As shown in figure 13 infant
mortality rates are at an all time low. In 2009 the mortality rate in Copeland was 1.4 deaths
for every 1,000 live births. This is well below the national average of 4.7 deaths per 1,000 live
births and that of Cumbria (3.5 deaths per 1,000). The number of deaths has fallen from five
Copeland Health Profile
J Clay
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