Inequalities in excess premature mortality in England during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional analysis of cumulative excess mortality by area deprivation and ethnicity
Objectives To examine magnitude of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on inequalities in premature mortality in England by deprivation and ethnicity.Design A statistical model to estimate increased mortality in population subgroups during the COVID-19 pandemic by comparing observed with expected mo...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2021-12-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/12/e052646.full |
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| author | JOHN NEWTON Sharmani Barnard Paul Burton Allan Baker Yvonne Doyle Paul Fryers Justine Fitzpatrick Sebastian Fox Zachary Waller |
| author_facet | JOHN NEWTON Sharmani Barnard Paul Burton Allan Baker Yvonne Doyle Paul Fryers Justine Fitzpatrick Sebastian Fox Zachary Waller |
| author_sort | JOHN NEWTON |
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| description | Objectives To examine magnitude of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on inequalities in premature mortality in England by deprivation and ethnicity.Design A statistical model to estimate increased mortality in population subgroups during the COVID-19 pandemic by comparing observed with expected mortality in each group based on trends over the previous 5 years.Setting Information on deaths registered in England since 2015 was used, including age, sex, area of residence and cause of death. Ethnicity was obtained from Hospital Episode Statistics records linked to death data.Participants Population study of England, including all 569 824 deaths from all causes registered between 21 March 2020 and 26 February 2021.Main outcome measures Excess mortality in each subgroup over and above the number expected based on trends in mortality in that group over the previous 5 years.Results The gradient in excess mortality by area deprivation was greater in the under 75s (the most deprived areas had 1.25 times as many deaths as expected, least deprived 1.14) than in all ages (most deprived had 1.24 times as many deaths as expected, least deprived 1.20). Among the black and Asian groups, all area deprivation quintiles had significantly larger excesses than white groups in the most deprived quintiles and there were no clear gradients across quintiles. Among the white group, only those in the most deprived quintile had more excess deaths than deaths directly involving COVID-19.Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has widened inequalities in premature mortality by area deprivation. Among those under 75, the direct and indirect effects of the pandemic on deaths have disproportionately impacted ethnic minority groups irrespective of area deprivation, and the white group the most deprived areas. Statistics limited to deaths directly involving COVID-19 understate the pandemic’s impact on inequalities by area deprivation and ethnic group at younger ages. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-049fe1f9ee1443fd9f91c26306ccdb6a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-049fe1f9ee1443fd9f91c26306ccdb6a2025-08-20T01:59:13ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552021-12-01111210.1136/bmjopen-2021-052646Inequalities in excess premature mortality in England during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional analysis of cumulative excess mortality by area deprivation and ethnicityJOHN NEWTON0Sharmani Barnard1Paul Burton2Allan Baker3Yvonne Doyle4Paul Fryers5Justine Fitzpatrick6Sebastian Fox7Zachary Waller8Health Intelligence, Public Health England, London, UKHealth Intelligence, Public Health England, London, UKHealth Intelligence, Public Health England, London, UKHealth Intelligence, Public Health England, London, UKHealth Intelligence, Public Health England, London, UKHealth Intelligence, Public Health England, London, UKHealth Intelligence, Public Health England, London, UKInstitute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, WMD B15 2TT, UKHealth Intelligence, Public Health England, London, UKObjectives To examine magnitude of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on inequalities in premature mortality in England by deprivation and ethnicity.Design A statistical model to estimate increased mortality in population subgroups during the COVID-19 pandemic by comparing observed with expected mortality in each group based on trends over the previous 5 years.Setting Information on deaths registered in England since 2015 was used, including age, sex, area of residence and cause of death. Ethnicity was obtained from Hospital Episode Statistics records linked to death data.Participants Population study of England, including all 569 824 deaths from all causes registered between 21 March 2020 and 26 February 2021.Main outcome measures Excess mortality in each subgroup over and above the number expected based on trends in mortality in that group over the previous 5 years.Results The gradient in excess mortality by area deprivation was greater in the under 75s (the most deprived areas had 1.25 times as many deaths as expected, least deprived 1.14) than in all ages (most deprived had 1.24 times as many deaths as expected, least deprived 1.20). Among the black and Asian groups, all area deprivation quintiles had significantly larger excesses than white groups in the most deprived quintiles and there were no clear gradients across quintiles. Among the white group, only those in the most deprived quintile had more excess deaths than deaths directly involving COVID-19.Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has widened inequalities in premature mortality by area deprivation. Among those under 75, the direct and indirect effects of the pandemic on deaths have disproportionately impacted ethnic minority groups irrespective of area deprivation, and the white group the most deprived areas. Statistics limited to deaths directly involving COVID-19 understate the pandemic’s impact on inequalities by area deprivation and ethnic group at younger ages.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/12/e052646.full |
| spellingShingle | JOHN NEWTON Sharmani Barnard Paul Burton Allan Baker Yvonne Doyle Paul Fryers Justine Fitzpatrick Sebastian Fox Zachary Waller Inequalities in excess premature mortality in England during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional analysis of cumulative excess mortality by area deprivation and ethnicity BMJ Open |
| title | Inequalities in excess premature mortality in England during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional analysis of cumulative excess mortality by area deprivation and ethnicity |
| title_full | Inequalities in excess premature mortality in England during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional analysis of cumulative excess mortality by area deprivation and ethnicity |
| title_fullStr | Inequalities in excess premature mortality in England during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional analysis of cumulative excess mortality by area deprivation and ethnicity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Inequalities in excess premature mortality in England during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional analysis of cumulative excess mortality by area deprivation and ethnicity |
| title_short | Inequalities in excess premature mortality in England during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional analysis of cumulative excess mortality by area deprivation and ethnicity |
| title_sort | inequalities in excess premature mortality in england during the covid 19 pandemic a cross sectional analysis of cumulative excess mortality by area deprivation and ethnicity |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/12/e052646.full |
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