What is health inequality?
Not everyone will live to the same age and not everyone will enjoy equally good health throughout their life.
As with income and wealth, there is a huge range of reports and statistics detailing health inequalities in Scotland and the UK.
In recent years, some of the most-well cited reports include the following:
- Equally Well Report (2008 and follow-up of 2010)
- Audit Scotland's Health Inequalities in Scotland (2012)
- Annual Scottish Health Survey
There are also NHS local briefings, Scottish Government updates and other organisations such the Glasgow Centre for Population and Health which can provide detailed information on health inequalities.
Health inequalities in Scotland and the UK
Health inequalities are most significant between the richest and poorest in society and the parts of Scotland (and the UK) in which these people tend to live.
For example, the National Records of Scotland reported in 2023 that life expectancy for females in Glasgow City (a local authority area with one of the highest levels of deprivation) was only 78.2 years years compared to females in East Renfrewshire (a local authority area with one of the lowest levels of deprivation) at 84.0 years.
For males, life expectancy in Glasgow City was 72.9 years for males compared to East Dunbartonshire (a local authority area with one of the lowest levels of deprivation) at 79.9 years.
Overall, for males in 2019-2021, there were 13.7 years difference between the most and least deprived areas of Scotland. For females the difference was 10.5 years. Over the last few years this gap has widened between the least and most deprived areas of Scotland.
There are also overall differences in life expectancy between different nations of the UK.
| Country | Male life expectancy 2018 - 2020 | Female life expectancy 2018 鈥 2020 |
| England | 79.3 | 83.1 |
| N.Ireland | 78.6 | 82.3 |
| Scotland | 76.7 | 81.0 |
| Wales | 78.2 | 82.0 |
| Country | England |
|---|---|
| Male life expectancy 2018 - 2020 | 79.3 |
| Female life expectancy 2018 鈥 2020 | 83.1 |
| Country | N.Ireland |
|---|---|
| Male life expectancy 2018 - 2020 | 78.6 |
| Female life expectancy 2018 鈥 2020 | 82.3 |
| Country | Scotland |
|---|---|
| Male life expectancy 2018 - 2020 | 76.7 |
| Female life expectancy 2018 鈥 2020 | 81.0 |
| Country | Wales |
|---|---|
| Male life expectancy 2018 - 2020 | 78.2 |
| Female life expectancy 2018 鈥 2020 | 82.0 |
How does gender affect health inequalities?
Significant health inequalities also exist between men and women.
National Records of Scotland reported that in 2020-22, Life expectancy in Scotland was 76.5 years for males and 80.7 years for females.
How does ethnic group affect health inequalities?
Evidence of race or ethnic health inequalities in Scotland is not widely available but statistically, ethnic minority groups tend to have better health than the majority White population. Having said that, for some health statistics some minority groups fare worse than others and patterns vary from one health condition to the next.
For example, the Scottish Government reported in 2015 (source) that:
- most ethnic minority groups reported better health than the majority 鈥榃hite Scottish鈥 group
- Both 'White Gypsy/Traveller' men and women tended to report nearly twice as many long-term limiting health problems or disability compared to the 鈥榃hite: Scottish鈥 group.
- Both Pakistani men and women reported slightly higher rates of long-term limiting health problems or disability compared to the 鈥榃hite: Scottish鈥 group
- 'Chinese',鈥榃hite: Polish鈥 and 'Other Asian' women in Scotland reported almost half as many long-term limiting health or disability problems compared to 鈥榃hite: Scottish鈥 women. This was also the case for 鈥榃hite: Polish鈥, 'African' and 'Chinese' men
- Some illnesses such as diabetes are more common in people from ethnic minority backgrounds