Women in the north die two years sooner than those in the south

Women from northern England die two years younger on average than those in the south, a new report has revealed.

Analysis of life expectancy data shows that a baby girl in the North East statistical region can expect to live until she is 81.2 years old, and in the North West the figure is 81.3, according to the report by Health Equity North.

The South West has the highest female life expectancy, 83.9 years, closely followed by the South East at 83.8, and London at 83.6.

The findings show women in the north also have higher rates of chronic and long-term illnesses.

Hannah Davies, executive director at Health Equity North, said: “Our report provides damning evidence of how women in the north are being failed across the whole span of their lives.

“Over the last ten years, women in the north have been falling behind their counterparts in the rest of the country, both in terms of the wider determinants of health and, consequently, inequalities in their health. There is a lot of work that needs to be done to turn the tide on the years of damage detailed in this report.

“But the situation for women’s health in the north can be changed for the better through evidence-based policy interventions.”

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Source: The Times, 3 September 2024