Dudley Strategy for Tackling Health Inequalities 2010-15

Standardised Rate per 100,000 Population1983-19851984-19861985-19871986-19881987-19891988-19901989-19911990-19921991-19931992-19941993-19951994-19961995-19971996-19981997-19991998-20001999-20012000-20022001-20032002-20042003-20052004-20062005-20072006-20081. EXECUTIVE SUMMARYBACKGROUNDThis strategy replaces and builds on the previous strategy to tackle healthinequalities in Dudley, Closing the Gap – Tackling Health Inequalities in Dudley(Dudley MBC and PCT, 2005). In the five years since the strategy was written wehave seen mortality rates from the main contributory diseases all reduce slowly andlife expectancy for Dudley residents has increased from 75.7 years for men and 80.3years for women in 2003 to 80.3 years for men and 81.9 for women by 2008.180Directly Standardised Mortality Rates from All Causes by Year3-Year Rates, Dudley, Both Sexes All Ages, 1983-1985 to 2006-2008160140120100806040200However the gap in life expectancy for the most affluent residents in the boroughcompared with those living in the poorest areas still persists. There are also genderdifferences associated with health inequalities and males bear the bigger burden ofmorbidity from disease and premature death.The previous strategy from 2005 set a target based on a national Public ServiceAgreement to;‘’Reduce health inequalities by 10% by 2010 as measured by infant mortalityand life expectancy at birth.’’6