Living Well in Cumbria - North West Public Health Observatory

Living Well in Cumbria | May 2011
Living Well
in Cumbria
Summary Report
Foreword
This, the fourth in the series of reports on health in Cumbria which have been commissioned from
Liverpool John Moores University, is intended to provide a snapshot and a reference point for adult
health in the county.
By the time we reach adult life our health futures have already begun to diverge. We can look at
the raw data on birth and death across our communities and see how the Grim Reaper visits us
differently because of our postcode. However, by giving attention to the everyday life of adults we
can gain insights as to where things are beginning to go systematically adrift while there still may be
time to take remedial action.
This report is relevant to a wide range of individuals and agencies across Cumbria who are in a
position to influence and shape the health conditions which influence the risks to life and health
which flow from the picture painted here. I would encourage all readers to reflect on how they might
make a difference to the trajectories of ill health which are implied in these pages.
Professor John R Ashton CBE
Director of Public Health and County Medical Officer for Cumbria
May 2011
3