LIFE EXPECTANCY has risen and the gap between men and women has narrowed, figures just released by the Stormont Department of Health show.
However, the differential between those living in the most deprived parts and the Northern Ireland average has changed little in the past decade. There has also been little change between the mortality rates of those living in rural areas and those across the North as a whole.
The improving life expectancy rates are due to a decrease in the rate of deaths from coronary heart disease, strokes and other circulatory illnesses. Improvements in statistics concerning deaths from cancer and respiratory disease also contributed.
Between 1999-01 and 2004-06, male life expectancy at birth increased from 74.8 to 76.2 years, an increase of 1.4 years, while female life expectancy increased from 79.8 to 81.0 years, an increase of 1.3 years. The department said life expectancy remains worse in the most deprived areas in Northern Ireland than in Northern Ireland overall.
In 2004-06, life expectancy for males living in the most deprived areas was 3.8 years lower than for males living in the North as a whole, while female life expectancy was 2.6 years lower.
By comparison, the deprived life expectancy gaps for males and females in 1999-2001 were 3.9 years and 2.7 years respectively.
The latest research shows that between 1999-2001 and 2004-06, life expectancy in deprived areas increased by 1.5 years for males and 1.4 years for females to reach 72.4 years and 78.5 years respectively. However, the same causes of death are not responsible for maintaining those gaps.
Improved mortality rates due to respiratory and circulatory diseases in the most deprived areas relative to Northern Ireland generally narrowed both the male and female deprived gaps over recent years. However, these improvements have been mostly offset by a relative worsening of mortality due to other causes such as cancer, suicide, accidental death and chronic liver disease.
Life expectancy for both males and females in rural areas is higher than in the North's average.
In 2004-06, life expectancy for males living in the rural areas was one year higher than for males living in the North as a whole, while female life expectancy was just six months higher.
By comparison, the rural life expectancy gaps for males and females in 1999-01 were one year and 0.7 years respectively.