Deprivation: key data sources

A number of different measures of deprivation are in current use.  This section provides an overview of sources of information on deprivation in general as well as showing where to access data for particular deprivation measures. 

Arbuthnott Formula - 'Fair Shares for All'
The Arbuthnott formula was developed during 1999-2000 as part of a larger piece of work to update the calculations of health service resource allocation in Scotland. This formula uses a composite of four variables, one of which takes account of information from six other deprivation indicators. Three variables are drawn from 'updateable' sources (death rates, income support claimants and unemployment benefit recipients). The remaining variable is drawn from the 1991 Census. Unlike the Carstairs Score, lack of car ownership is not included. Section 4 of the report provides more details. 

Carstairs and Morris Index
The Carstairs and Morris Index index was originally developed in the 1980s using 1981 census data. The index is derived from four census indicators: low social class, lack of car ownership, overcrowding and male unemployment. It is calculated at postcode sector level (e.g. G84 9) and both the summary report and the deprivation scores themselves (as well as the derived - and commonly used - deprivation categories (or depcats)) for 2001 can be accessed from the web site of Glasgow University's MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit (see link above). Note that the previous (1991) scores can also be accessed there as well. 

ISD Scotland - Deprivation
The main ISD Scotland site has a section on deprivation  with useful pages with recommendations for analysing health data, ways to categorise deprivation variables and choices of geographical unit for small area analysis. On a related page downloadable files are available to view or download in SPSS or Excel format.

Scottish Centre for Research on Social Justice
Prior to the publication of SIMD 2004 (see below), the Scottish Centre for Research on Social Justice at Glasgow University carried out work on behalf of the Scottish Executive to develop a long-term strategy for measuring deprivation. Some of the recommendations of the report have been implemented in SIMD 2004, whilst others relate to more long-term issues.

Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD)
The most recent measure of deprivation is the Scottish Executive's Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), which was released in June 2004 and updated in October 2006 (SIMD 2006). It is available at 'data zone' level, a new small-area geography derived as part of the work for the Executive's Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics project.  

There are various reports and other resources relating to the SIMD 2006.  Analysis of the SIMD 2006 and change over time is provided in the SIMD 2006 General Report and in the SIMD 2006 Statistical Compendium. Guidance on comparing individual indicators between 2004 and 2006 is available in the technical report and advice on how to use the SIMD and assess change over time is available in the SIMD 2006 guidance leaflet. The technical report also includes detailed information on each indicator and any changes made to indicators and the overall methodology for the SIMD 2006.  Individual indicator data are available for SIMD 2004 and SIMD 2006 (as excel workbooks) in the SIMD Backgrouund Data.

Scottish Indices of Deprivation 2003
The precursor to SIMD 2004 were the Scottish Indices of Deprivation 2003, produced by Oxford University on behalf of the Scottish Executive. Similar to SIMD 2004, but using slightly different domains and indicators, this deprivation measure was calculated at electoral ward level. An overall index, domain-specific indices, report and maps are all available from the relevant page of the Scottish Executive web site (see link above).