County among the healthiest in England

People from West Sussex are among the healthiest in England '“ despite problems caused by modern lifestyles and inequality in health services.

West Sussex Primary Care Trust's annual report revealed people from every class and area are living longer, healthier lives than ever before, but highlighted areas of high concern, including inequalities in health, alcohol misuse and obesity.

Dr Farhang Tahzib, the author of the report, said: "It is a matter for celebration that West Sussex has one of the healthiest and most affluent populations in England.

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"But I am concerned about groups of particularly disadvantaged and vulnerable people who require focused care."

Good health is not evenly distributed across the county, though.

Although average life expectancies for men and women have increased, in some less affluent areas these ages are reduced by more than 12 years.

Dr Tahzib states small pockets of social deprivation exist within the county, with less affluent areas among the 20 per cent most deprived in England.

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West Sussex PCT's action plan involves partner agencies committing resources to these areas of multiple deprivation, dubbed Local Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (LNIAs).

In more affluent areas, the average time a person may spend suffering from a limiting long-term illness at the end of their life is eight years. In the LNIAs it is nearly a decade more.

Death rates from cancer and respiratory diseases have reduced significantly countywide, but remain significantly higher in the LNIAs.

Dr Tahzib believes these deaths are avoidable and said: "People living in areas of deprivation are dying younger and living with more long-term illnesses than people living in more affluent areas. This is unacceptable."

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Statistics on obesity and alcohol abuse also took the sheen off an otherwise-positive report.

Increasingly sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy eating has rocketed obesity levels 400 per cent in the past 25 years with two out of three people in West Sussex now overweight or obese.

Death rates from liver cirrhosis in men and women aged 35-44 has increased eight and seven-fold respectively and alcohol misuse accounts for a third of day-time A&E attendences, more than two-thirds at night.

Shockingly, more than ten per cent of boys and girls aged 14-15 describe themselves as regular binge-drinkers.