Women in the North of England live shorter lives, have lower healthy life expectancy and worse mental health than their counterparts in the rest of England, according to a new report looking at regional inequalities over the last decade.
The research by virtual institute Health Equity North also found that infant mortality is higher and abortions are more common in the North.
A team of more than 70 academic, health, social care and policy professionals from across the North of England contributed to the report, ‘Woman of the North: Inequality, health and work’, to explore some of the social determinants of health for women, and the impact they have in the overall health of women in the region.
Related Article: Afternoon inhaler use gives effective asthma control, study finds
The report found that girls born between 2018 and 2020 in the North East can only expect to live in good health until age 59, up to six years less than girls born in the South East. Figures for the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber were similar, with good health lasting on average until 62.
There was also a higher prevalence of severe mental conditions, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, in the North West and North East compared to elsewhere in the country.
For women in these areas who had a diagnosed mental health condition, rates of treatment were lower compared to the South of England and Yorkshire and the Humber, indicating treatment gaps between regions.
Alcohol-related deaths were also highest in the North of England, with 13.9 deaths per 100,000 from alcohol-specific causes in the North East, 13.8 per 100,000 in the North West and 11.7 in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Hannah Davies, executive director at Health Equity North, said: ‘Our report provides damning evidence of how women in the North are being failed across the whole span of their lives.
‘Over the last 10 years, women in the North have been falling behind their counterparts in the rest of the country, both in terms of the wider determinants of health and, consequently, inequalities in their health.’
Related Article: Sundowning in dementia: what nurses can do to support patients
She added: ‘There is a lot of work that needs to be done to turn the tide on the years of damage detailed in this report. But the situation for women’s health in the North can be changed for the better through evidence-based policy interventions.’
The researchers want to see policymakers build on the report’s ambitions and address the regional inequalities in women’s health.
The report will be presented in parliament this month and recommends that the government puts health at the heart of all policies.
The authors suggest that NHS England should establish a series of Women’s Health Hubs across the North and support health services to collect data on ethnicity and other key demographics to improve understanding of different health needs.
Related Article: Vaping trends stall following regulation announcement
Professor Kate Pickett from the University of York added: ‘We know that much of the inequality we see affecting women in the North is a direct consequence of poverty, which is completely unacceptable in the sixth largest economy in the world.
‘We hope the findings and recommendations act as a wake-up call for the government to make health and addressing health inequalities central to policies going forward.’
