UK Has Poor Old Age Survival Rates Than Other Countries in Europe

Old age survival rates seem to be much poorer in parts of UK than in other European countries, said a new study.The study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health analyzed the survival rates of millions between two decades namely, 1991-2001 and 2001-2011 in 18 countries across Europe.

They found that in 2001, the survival rates for men was 27% and among females it was 40%. After a period of 10 years, the survival rates rose to 34% among men, and to 47% among women.

Researchers found higher survival rates in northern Spain, Andorra, Italy, and West of France and lower rates were in parts of the UK, Scandinavia and the Netherlands.

The low survival rates were mainly in the industrial regions of the UK like Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool and in the London. About 18% of women and 7% of men were living in these areas in 2011.

Researchers concluded, "It is most likely that the observed patterns arise from a combination of two kinds of health determinants: poverty, which explains the low longevity found in areas like Portugal, southern Spain, southern Italy and post-industrial areas; and unhealthy lifestyles (eg, tobacco, diet), which might explain the presence of areas of low survival in affluent areas of Scandinavia or the Netherlands."

Source-Medindia