Document title: Scottish mortality in a European context 1950-2000: an analysis of comparative mortality trends
Description:

This report provides a comparison of Scotland's mortality rates relative to other European countries and describes developing trends. Mortality is considered in four different age groups (infancy, childhood, working age and the elderly) and there is a focus on thirteen specific causes of death among working age adults. These are: oesophageal, stomach, colorectal, pancreatic, lung and breast cancer; ischaemic heart disease; cerebrovascular disease; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis; external causes; suicide; and, motor vehicle accidents. For each age group and cause of death, we have compared Scottish trends with those for a selection of other European countries and against the mean, minimum and maximum Western European rates. In addition, Scotland's mortality ranking within Western Europe is compared over time.
Author(s): Whyte B (ISD Scotland)
Publisher(s): ScotPHO
Date published: 07 November 2006
Download / link to document:

Main report

Supporting Excel files

The actual mortality trend data are presented as a series of Excel graphs, which can be accessed by downloading the Excel files listed below.

Please note: the ranking values which appear on some of the charts - those comparing Scotland to the Western European mean, minimum and maximum e.g. A1M and A1F in the infant mortality workbook - only align with the correct time period when printed.

Additional background resource

In February 2003 Professor David Leon and colleagues at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine produced a detailed report focused on Understanding Scotland's health in an international context (1.5Mb). This report reviewed health outcomes and health determinants and described Scotland's health position internationally, particularly relative to other parts of Europe. A major component of this work was a comparative mortality analysis, which used WHO population and mortality data to examine mortality trends from 1950 to 2000 in 20 European countries.

Our report updates the comparative analysis trends produced by Leon et al (2003), in order to provide a more up-to-date comparison of Scotland's mortality rates relative to other European countries and to describe developing trends.