MEN affected by deprivation in Fife have a life expectancy of 10 years less than those least affected it.

The figures, revealed in a report put to NHS Fife Health Board last week, showed that life expectancy at birth in Fife was 77.2 years for males and 81.4 years for females in 2018-

2020.

Director of public health Joy Tomlinson said the life expectancy of women living in deprived areas in the Kingdom was also cut by eight years.

"The full extent of inequality in life expectancy across Fife is most apparent when you look at the differences between the life expectancies of the populations living in most and least deprived areas in Fife," she said.

"In 2016-20, life expectancy in Fife was 10 years lower in the most deprived areas than the least deprived areas among males, and eight years lower among females. Wide inequalities were seen across Scotland with life expectancy in the 10 per cent most deprived areas 13.5 years lower among males and 10.5 years lower among females than in the 10 per cent least deprived areas in 2018-20."

Fife was one of only 12 local authority areas in Scotland to see its population grow in 2018-22020.

In June 2020, an estimated 374,130 people lived in Fife, 580 more people than in 2019, resulting in an annual growth rate of 0.2 per cent, higher than the national growth rate of 0.05 per cent,

which was the lowest growth since 2003.

Children aged 0-15 make up 17 per cent of the population with 64,152 children living in Fife. The majority of Fifers – 62 per cent – are aged 16-64, while 12 per cent of the

population are aged 65-74 and nine per cent are 75 and over.

In 2020, there was a six per cent fall in the number of babies born in Fife compared to in 2019, with 3,143 new arrivals.

There were 4,285 deaths in Fife in 2020, an increase of 130 (three per cent) on 2019.

Ms Tomlinson said there were "significant inequalities" in mortality rates in the under-75s, which have persisted over the past 10 years.

"Over this period, rates in the under-75s have been between two to three times higher in the most deprived areas than in the least deprived areas, and the current rate is currently sitting at 2.9 times higher.

"Even greater inequalities are seen in the rates of death among those aged 15-44 in Fife. Rates of death in this age group have risen for Fife as a whole since 2013-15, with rates

rising from 98.2 per 100,000 population in 2013-15 to 115 in 2020, slightly below the Scottish average of 116 per 100,000 population.

"During this time, rates in the least deprived areas decreased, while rates in the most deprived areas increased, widening the absolute gap between them. In 2013-15, rates in the most deprived areas were 3.9 times greater than rates in the least deprived areas which rose to 6.7 times greater in 2018-20."

Up to March 31, 2022, there had been 791 deaths recorded in Fife where confirmed or suspected COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

Ms Tomlinson said her report highlighted key issues to be considered when looking to improve the health and wellbeing of the Fife population.

"One of the recurring themes through the report is the widening in health inequalities which was apparent even before the onset of the pandemic," she stated. "This can be seen in a number of statistics, including a widening of the gap in life-expectancy between those who are most affected by deprivation and those who are least affected. This is important because these differences are avoidable.

"We have that much we can improve for everybody in Fife. It is not in the gift of the NHS to do all these things. We have really, as an organisation, the ability to bring people together and highlight areas where we can make profound differences.

"It is not to say it is not hard but we have to be deliberate about it."