Limiting illness
Daily activities limited for 1 in 6 people
Prevalence of limiting long-term illness: by age and sex, UK, 2001
In the 2001 Census, one in six people in the UK (10.3 million) living in a private household reported having a limiting long-term illness (LLTI). There was a steady increase in rates of LLTI with age for both males and females. Below age 30, rates were less than 10 per cent but were more than twice this for those aged 45 to 59. Rates virtually doubled again at ages 60 to 74, reaching 41 per cent for men and 38 per cent for women.
In each age group up to age 59 the differences in rates of LLTI between males and females were minimal, at around 1 percentage point. However differences between the sexes were greater among people aged 60 and over. In the 60 to 74 age group men had a higher prevalence of LLTI than women; the situation was reversed for those aged 75 and over, with more women than men reporting an LLTI.
In the 2002/03 Family Resource Survey, the most common limitation reported by both men and women in GB was mobility, followed by the ability to lift, carry or move objects, and then by manual dexterity. The most common condition was musculoskeletal disorders, followed by heart and circulatory problems and then respiratory diseases.
Prevalence of limiting long-term illness (age standardised): by NS-SEC, UK, 2001
The lowest rate of LLTI was among those working in higher managerial and professional occupations (7 per cent), which was half that of those working in routine occupations (15 per cent). People who had never worked or were long-term unemployed had the highest rate of LLTI (37 per cent) of any socio-economic group.
In most NS-SEC categories, there was little difference in LLTI rates between the sexes. However, men had higher rates of LLTI than women in the intermediate group, 12 and 9 per cent respectively, and never worked and long-term unemployed group, 41 and 34 per cent respectively.
Rates of LLTI also varied in relation to marital status. The highest rates were among those who were widowed (29 per cent), divorced or separated (25 per cent) or single (23 per cent). Married people had the lowest rate of LLTI at 18 per cent.
Sources: Census 2001, Office for National Statistics; Census 2001, General Register Office for Scotland; Census 2001, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
Notes: All relate to residents in private households.
Limiting long-term illness or disability that restricts daily activities is calculated from a 'Yes' response to the question in the 2001 Census: 'Do you have any long-term illness, health problem or disability which limits your activities or the work you can do?'
Age-standardised rates allow comparisons between populations with different age structures. The method used here was direct standardisation using the European Standard Population.
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