Headline data

Healthy life expectancy is 57.9 for men [Chart - Male healthy life expectancy] and 58.5 for women [Chart - Female healthy life expectancy].^[1] Female healthy life expectancy is therefore greater than that for men (although confidence intervals mean no significant conclusions can be drawn at this point). Healthy life expectancy for men in Gateshead is about 5 years less than across England as a whole and for women it is about 5¹/₂ years less. Compared to the North East, healthy life expectancy for men and women in Gateshead is about 1 year less than the North East average.

Healthy life expectancy for men living in Felling is 14.9 years less than for men living in Whickham South and Sunniside. Similarly, healthy life expectancy for women living in Felling is 14.2 years less than for women living in Whickham South and Sunniside.^[2]

Life expectancy in Gateshead is currently 76.7 years for men [Chart - Male life expectancy] and 81.4 years for women [Chart - Female life expectancy].^[3] This represents a decrease of half a year for men and no change for women since the previous period. Both rates continue to be below the England average. The gap to England currently stands at 2.2 years lower for men and 1.4 years lower for women.

The Life Expectancy Gap Segment Tool shows that the biggest cause of deaths that helps to explain why Gateshead has a higher mortality rate than England is external causes (33.5%) for men and cancer (30.9%) for women (External causes include land transport accidents, accidental poisoning, and suicide). ^[4]

In Gateshead, life expectancy for men is 10.8 years less in the most deprived compared to the least deprived areas (deciles); for women, the difference is 8.8 years [Chart - Slope index of inequality in male life expectancy Chart - Slope index of inequality in female life expectancy].^[5] For both men and women the gap in life expectancy between people living in the most deprived and the least deprived areas has overall been increasing over time. However, in the latest data point 2018-20, the gap for women actually reduced from 9.6 in the previous period. 

Life expectancy for men living in Dunston & Teams is 9.3 years less than for men living in Whickham South & Sunniside [Map - Ward male life expectancy]. Women living in Deckham will live on average 9.7 fewer years than women living in Whickham South and Sunniside [Map - Ward female life expectancy].^[6]

The change in the most common causes of death for men and women over the last 100 years are shown in the chart below. An interactive version of the chart and further information is available on the ONS website [Chart - Changes in the most common causes of death].^[7]

Between 2020 and 2022 there were 22 infant deaths (aged under 1) or 3.8 per 1,000 live births compared with the England average of 3.9 [Chart - Infant mortality rates].^[8]

Between 2020 and 2022 there were 11 child deaths (aged 1 - 17), a rate of 10.0 per 100,000 (DSR or Directly Standardised Rate - this removes any difference due to age so that Gateshead is comparable with other areas). This compares with the England average of 10.4 (this is not significantly different) [Chart - Child mortality rates].^[9]

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^{[1] Mortality, MYE data and Annual Population Survey, ONS 2018-20 (PHOF website)}

^{[2] Health State Life Expectancy at Birth, ONS 2009-13 (ONS website)}

^{[3] Mortality and MYE data, ONS 2018-20 (PHOF website)}

^{[4] Life Expectancy Gap Segment Tool, PHE 2020-21 (PHE Segment Tool website)}

^{[5] Slope Index of Inequality Mortality and MYE data, MHCLG IMD 2019, ONS 2018-20 (PHOF website)}

^{[6] Mortality and MYE data, ONS 2016-20 (Local Health website)}

^{[7] ONS 20th and 21st century mortality files, 2015 (ONS website)}

^{[8] Infant Mortality, ONS, 2020-22 (Public Health Outcomes Framework website)}

^{[9] Child Mortality, ONS, 2020-22 (Child and Maternal Health website)}