1.1 This paper summarises the National Records of Scotland’s life expectancy figures for the years 2010-2012 for administrative areas within Scotland. It also compares the results of the previously published life expectancy estimates calculated using population estimates based on the 2001 Census with those calculated using revised population estimates based on the 2011 Census for the years 2000-2002 to 2008-2010. As the revised small area population estimates for 2002 to 2010 are not yet available it has not been possible to update the life expectancy estimates for other areas such as by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) and Rural Urban classification. Results for these areas will be published in October/November 2014 alongside administrative area estimates for 2011-2013.
1.2 This paper reports on the 32 Council areas in Scotland and the new 2014 NHS Board areas in existence from 1 April 2014. Life expectancy estimates for all years in this report use the new NHS Board boundaries. Figures for 2006 NHS Board areas are available on the NRS website. Comparisons between the estimates for 2010-2012 and those of previous three-year periods are also presented. Further information on the geographical areas used in this publication can be found in Section 9.
1.3 The estimates for 2010-2012, given in Table 3, Table 4 and Table 5 have been ranked for ease of presentation. For Council areas, this means that '1' is the area with the highest life expectancy and '32' the lowest. Similarly, NHS Board areas are ranked 1 to 14.
1.4 Life expectancy at birth provides a useful summary measure of mortality rates actually experienced over a given period. It also provides an objective means of comparing trends in mortality, over time, between areas of a country and with other countries. This is of use in monitoring and investigating health inequality issues across Scotland and in setting public health targets, particularly when used in conjunction with the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). The Scottish Government currently has a high level purpose target to match European population growth over a 10 year period, supported by increased healthy life expectancy at birth. Healthy life expectancy is derived by combining estimates of life expectancy with survey data on self-assessed health (Section 8.3).