OBJECTIVES The aims of this paper were to develop the composite deprivation index (CDI) for the sub-district (Eup-Myen-Dong) levels based on the theory of social exclusion and to explore the relationship between the CDI and the standardized mortality ratio (SMR). METHODS The paper calculated the age adjusted SMR and we included five dimensions of social exclusion for CDI; unemployment, povert...

AIMS To investigate the relation between social deprivation and causes of stillbirth and infant mortality. METHODS Stillbirths and infant deaths in 6347 enumeration districts in Wales were linked with the Townsend score of social deprivation. In 1993-98 there were 211 072 live births, 1147 stillbirths, and 1223 infant deaths. Poisson regression analysis was used to estimate the magnitude of e...

Our study used multilevel regression analysis to identify individual- and neighbourhood-level factors that determine individual-level subjective well-being in Rhini, a deprived suburb of Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The Townsend index and Gini coefficient were used to investigate whether contextual neighbourhood-level differences in socioeconomic status determined i...

Determining the effect of deprivation on quality of life after total and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty Quality of life (QoL) following joint replacement is now a national priority, with every patient being assessed using the Oxford Knee Score. The current literature is conflicted as to whether deprivation has any effect on outcome after knee surgery. The type of surgery is another variable...

OBJECTIVE To compare proportions of low birthweight babies and mean heights of schoolchildren between rural and urban areas at different levels of social deprivation. DESIGN Cross sectional population based study classifying cases by Townsend material deprivation index of enumeration district of residence and by rural areas, small towns, and large towns. SETTING Northumberland Health Distri...

BACKGROUND Little is known about the utilization of NHS Direct by disadvantaged groups, in spite of the service aiming to be 'accessible to all'. This study investigates the relationship between use of NHS Direct and deprivation in one predominantly disadvantaged area. METHODS Ward-level call rates to NHS Direct South East London over a 6 month period were calculated using postcode data. Jarm...

OBJECTIVE To determine differences in the incidence of epilepsy associated with deprivation. DESIGN Cross-sectional study of new cases of epilepsy presenting over 3 years linked to census based population and deprivation data. SETTING Norfolk UK. PATIENTS Children aged 29 days to 14 years presenting to the only district hospital serving the study area. INTERVENTIONS None. MAIN OUTCOME...

BACKGROUND The prevalence and severity of asthma is believed to increase with increasing socioeconomic deprivation. The relationship between asthma diagnosis, symptoms, diagnostic accuracy, and socioeconomic deprivation as determined by Townsend scores was determined in Sheffield schoolchildren. METHODS All 6021 schoolchildren aged 8-9 years in one school year in Sheffield were given a parent...

Background: The prevalence and severity of asthma is believed to increase with increasing socioeconomic deprivation. The relationship between asthma diagnosis, symptoms, diagnostic accuracy, and socioeconomic deprivation as determined by Townsend scores was determined in Sheffield schoolchildren. Methods: All 6021 schoolchildren aged 8–9 years in one school year in Sheffield were given a parent...

BACKGROUND Although widely used, area-based deprivation indices remain sensitive to urban-rural differences as such indices are usually standardised around typical urban values. There is, therefore, a need to determine to what extent available deprivation indices can be used legitimately over both urban and rural areas. METHODS This study was carried out in Brittany, France, a relatively affl...