Minton, J., Shaw, R., Green, M., Vanderbloemen, L., Popham, F. & McCartney, G. (2017) UK Administrative Data Research Network Annual Research Conference, Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, UK, 1 - 2 June 2017

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Abstract:

This paper describes two approaches we used in our recent paper on Scottish 'excess deaths', for exploring mortality risks at different ages and in different years, and how these compare between two population groups. These two approaches were: comparative level plots (CLPs), which show deviation in age-specific risks over time between two populations using colour and shade on Lexis surfaces; and a lifetable approach, which quantifies the cumulative impacts of age-specific risk differences over the life course between population by different ages.

In the case of Scotland, CLPs were able to identify important cohort effects and age-specific period effects which contribute to overall disadvantage compared with both England and Wales, and from this can help identify possible priority areas for effective intervention to reduce health disparities.

The data used in the analyses was the Human Mortality Database, comprising around 40 countries from across the world, and so the methods provides great scope for rapid population benchmarking and comparison between countries and regions. Examples presented will include Sweden, the USA and Italy. In each case country populations will be compared against their nearest and more distal neighbours.

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