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Socioeconomic status
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Socioeconomic status
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| Note: | Life expectancy was calculated using the method of Chiang (see Methods section). Numbers for 2004 include an estimate of the small numbers of deaths that were registered in 2005, data for which were unavailable at the time of production. |
| Source: | ABS Socio Economic Indices for Areas and ABS mortality data and population estimates (HOIST). Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Department of Health. |
The life expectancy of a person born in NSW in 2004 was 81.5 years, 83.9 years for a female and 79.0 years for a male. This is similar to the national life expectancy calculated for persons born in 2002 to 2004 of 83.0 years for a female and 78.1 years for a male (AIHW 2006).
These average figures hide inequalities relating to socioeconomic status (SES). In NSW, males born in statistical local areas in the quintile of least disadvantage (the highest SES group) are expected to live an average of about 3 years longer than those in the lower four quintiles of disadvantage (lower SES groups). For females the difference between the upper quintile and the lower four quintiles is about 2 years. In comparison, non-Aboriginal people in NSW are expected to live 17 years longer than Aboriginal people (see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples chapter).
In the 12 years between 1993 and 2004, life expectancy increased for all SES groups for both males and females. The increase was greater for males than for females across SES groups, with averages of 3.8 years for males and 2.5 years for females.
Based on a linear regression analysis of life expectancy over time by the highest, lowest and middle three (rest) SES groups, there is no evidence of a trend towards a widening or narrowing of the gap between the three SES groups over the 12 years, for either males or females.
In NSW life expectancy has increased at a uniform rate across socioeconomic classes, leaving a continuing discrepancy between the highest SES group and the rest of the population. In Victoria, using similar methods, the gap in life expectancy at birth between the highest and lowest SES groups narrowed for both males and females in the period between 1996 and 1999 (Magnus et al., 2001). In contrast, England and Wales show a similar pattern to NSW in life expectancy at birth by social class, with improvements in life expectancies across all social classes, but the gap between classes remaining the same over the period 1977 to 1999 (Office of National Statistics, 2002).
| For more information: |
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australia's health 2006. AIHW cat. no. AUS 73. Canberra: AIHW, 2006. Available at: www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10321 Australian Bureau of Statistics website at www.abs.gov.au. Magnus A, Vos T, Begg S. Improvement in the life expectancy of Victorians. Health of Victorians. The Chief Health Officer's Bulletin 2001; 1(1): 16-19. Office of National Statistics. Trends in life expectancy by social class, 1972-1999. London: UK Office of National Statistics, 2002. Website at www.statistics.gov.uk |
| Print version: | Although this page can be printed directly from your Web browser, a higher quality version of this entire page (graph, table and text) is available as an Acrobat PDF file which can be printed or viewed on screen using free software. |
| Downloadable files: | The data contained in the table on this page are available for download as a CSV file which can be imported into many software packages. The graph is available for download as an EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) file and as an EMF (Enhanced Metafile Format) file. Files in these formats can be imported into most word processing, presentation and graphics software packages. |
| Copyright notice: | This work is copyright NSW Department of Health, 2006. It may be reproduced in whole or in part, subject to the inclusion of an acknowledgement of the source. Commercial usage or sale is prohibited. |
| Suggested citation: | Population Health Division. The health of the people of New South Wales - Report of the Chief Health Officer. Sydney: NSW Department of Health. Available at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/public-health/chorep/ses/ses_lomidhilex.htm. Accessed (insert date of access). |
| Produced by: | Centre for Epidemiology and Research, Population Health Division, NSW Department of Health. |
| Last updated on: | 13 November 2006 |
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