A hard hitting report has set out a clear picture of the causes of health inequalities in East Sussex, what is being done to tackle the key issues, as well as what needs to be done to enable residents to live longer, healthier lives.
The fourth annual report from Director of Public Health Diana Grice focuses on local health inequalities – the differences in people’s health which determine how long they live for and how healthy their lives are.
It also details what is being done to improve the average life expectancy in areas, such as Eastbourne and Hastings, where people tend to die at a younger age than other parts of the county.
Dr Grice says:
"We have developed a detailed picture, right down to council ward level, of the health of people living in East Sussex.
That includes the impact of things like smoking, drinking too much alcohol, poor diet and lack of exercise.
These all contribute to rates of cancer and diseases affecting the heart, lungs and circulation system – the major contributors to the gap in life expectancy across East Sussex.
This information will be used to draw up clear plans to further improve people’s health and enable them to lead longer and happier lives.
This includes schemes to promote a healthy lifestyle, identifying people at an early stage who may be developing problems, providing advice and support on a range of issues from eating a healthy diet to taking more regular exercise."
The NHS in East Sussex, together with a range of partners including local councils, is committed to reducing the gap in life expectancy between different parts of the county.
Based on 2001 figures, Hastings has the lowest life expectancy for men and women (74.2 years and 79.6 years respectively), whilst Lewes has the highest for men (78.7years), and Wealden the highest for women (83.1 years).
Hastings and Eastbourne also have the lowest expectancy for years of life free of disability (58.3 and 61.2 years for men respectively and 62.2 and 65.2 years for women).
You can download a copy of the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report.
