Deaths: introduction

Scotland has one of the highest rates of mortality in Western Europe (a phenomenon obviously mirrored by the country's comparatively low levels of life expectancy), and although rates for the whole population have steadily decreased in recent years, deaths among young men in Scotland - boosted by suicide, alcohol, drugs and violence - have been rising. Considerable variations/inequalities in mortality rates and trends are also evident in Scotland across different geographical and socio-economic groupings.

In terms of policy context, mortality rates are of course ultimately relevant to the entire health improvement strategy of government (although life expectancy, and indeed healthy life expectancy, are arguably more useful indicators than simple mortality in this respect). More specifically, a number of cause-specific mortality targets have been established within national policy as part of the HEAT targets, 2008/09. These include the reduction of mortality from coronary heart disease among those under 75 living in deprived areas and the reduction of the suicide rate between 2002 and 2013 by 20% . The Ministerial Task Force on Health Inequalities as part of their Equally Well (2008) strategy is making it a priority to halt the increasing inequalities in death rates, in particular among younger men, caused by problems with alcohol, drugs and violence. In September 2009 they produced the Long term monitoring of health inequalities report where a number of mortality indicators are being monitored to measure health inequalities over time.

Note that the main source of deaths data in Scotland is the National Records of Scotland.