Age standardised 'not good' health rates: by ethnic group and sex, April 2001, England & Wales
Pakistani and Bangladeshi men and women in England and Wales reported the highest rates of 'not good' health in 2001.
Pakistanis had age-standardised rates of 'not good' health of 13 per cent (men) and 17 per cent (women). The age-standardised rates for Bangladeshis were 14 per cent (men) and 15 per cent (women). These rates, which take account of the difference in age structures between the ethnic groups, were around twice that of their White British counterparts. Chinese men and women were the least likely to report their health as 'not good'.
Women were more likely than men to rate their health as 'not good' across all groups, apart from the White Irish and those from Other ethnic groups.
Reporting poor health has been shown to be strongly associated with use of health services and mortality. White Irish and Pakistani women in England had higher GP contact rates than women in the general population. Bangladeshi men were three times as likely to visit their GP than men in the general population after standardising for age.
Age standardised rates of long-term illness or disability which restricts daily activities: by ethnic group and sex, April 2001, England & Wales
There were marked variations in rates of long-term illness or disability which restricted daily activities between different ethnic groups in England and Wales. After taking account of the different age structures of the groups, Pakistani and Bangladeshi men and women had the highest rates of disability. Rates were around 1.5 times higher than their White British counterparts. Chinese men and women had the lowest rates.
In some groups the difference between men and women in their rates of disability was much greater than in others. In the Indian, Pakistani, Black Caribbean and Black African groups, women had higher rates than men. In the White British and White Irish groups it was men who had higher rates than women.
Sources: Census, April 2001, Office for National Statistics; Health Survey for England, The Health of Minority Ethnic Groups, 1999. TSO (London 2001)
Notes:
The question in the 2001 Census was "Over the last twelve months would you say your health has on the whole been Good, Fairly Good, Not Good".
Age-standardised rates allow comparisons between populations with different age structures. The method used here is direct standardisation using the European Standard Population.
The term disability is used to refer to limiting long term illness or disability which restricts daily activities. It 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?"
printer-friendly
Population