Women born in Peterborough can expect to live almost a third of their life in poor health, 'horrendous' statistics show

Women born in Peterborough can expect to live out almost a third of their lives in poor health, “horrendous” statistics suggest.

A report on healthy life expectancy, drawn up by the region’s integrated care board, was presented to local councillors this week – showing that women in the city typically spend fewer years in good health than men.

Women in Peterborough live, on average, to 82.5, the report says, but can only expect to live for 59 of those years in good health – or 72% – the lowest percentage in the East of England.

Men born in Peterborough can expect to live for around 62 of their 76 years in good health, the statistics show, which is still below the national average for both sexes (63/4).

Cllr Graham Casey (Conservatives, Orton Longueville), a member of Peterborough City Council’s (PCC) health committee, said that the statistics are “concerning” and asked what’s being done to address them.

Cllr Julie Stevenson (Independent, Orton Waterville) added that the statistics are “horrendous” and similarly asked how women can “take back the part of our lives that is being lost”.

Representatives of the integrated care board, which brings together the region’s NHS organisations, councils and voluntary services, said that poor cardiovascular health and circulatory conditions such as hypertension are the biggest drivers of inequality and that addressing these are crucial.

Their report goes on to say that “more equitable prevention, diagnosis and treatment” can help – but their statistics suggest health outcomes may be getting worse.

“Currently, a boy growing up in the poorest part of Peterborough has a life expectancy of 75.8 years, however a boy growing up in the richest part of Cambridge has a life expectancy of 85.2 years; a difference of 10 years,” the report says.

“The gap has increased by 0.9 years between 2011-13 and 2015-17.”

The report also discusses modifiable factors to improve health, such as cutting down on smoking and alcohol and increasing physical exercise, as well as recognising and treating comorbidities such as high blood pressure.

But it also states that deprivation is a key indication of health outcomes which is harder to control, and not helped by the pandemic and cost of living pressures.

Men and women in Peterborough, Bedford and Luton can expect to live less of their lives in good health than those in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire or Suffolk, the report shows.

Tackling health inequality is a “core priority” for the NHS, it adds.