Life expectancy for poorer Derry citizens continues to fall

Poorer men in Derry can now expect to die over six years earlier than their peers on average.

The stark revelation is contained in DoH’s latest ‘Health Inequalities Annual Report 2023’.

It shows male life expectancy in Derry and Strabane’s most deprived areas was 71.1 years, which was 6.2 years less than the Local Government District (LGD) average (77.3 years).

This is a decline from figures of 72.3 years (most deprived men) and 78 years (average) reported in 2022. The health inequality gap for men has thus widened from 5.7 years to 6.2 years.

It means life expectancy for poorer men in Derry is now lower than the average life expectancy (both sexes) in North Korea (73), Libya (72) and Syria (72), according to the latest World Bank figures.

The report shows that life expectancy for poorer women in Derry has also declined but less steeply.

Female life expectancy in Derry and Strabane’s most deprived areas was 78.1 years, three years less than the district average (81.1 years).

In 2022 the relevant figures were 78.7 years (most deprived women) and 81.6 years (average). The health inequality gap has thus increased slightly from 2.8 years to 3 years.

Life expectancy for poorer women in Derry is lower than in Bahrain (79), Qatar (79) and Costa Rica (79), according to the latest World Bank estimates.

The report shows Derry is one of the only areas where the life expectancy of poorer men is falling.

“Male life expectancy remained generally similar between 2015-17 and 2019-21 in all Trusts and LGD and their most deprived areas, with the exception of decreases in the most deprived areas of the Belfast and Derry City & Strabane LGDs, and an increase in the most deprived areas average of Lisburn & Castlereagh LGD.

“The inequality gap for male life expectancy between the 20 per cent most deprived areas and the area average widened in the Belfast, Derry City & Strabane and Mid & East Antrim LGDs, while the gap narrowed in the Lisburn & Castlereagh LGD,” it states.

Shailesh Vara addresses dip in life expectancy for poorer Derry men