Death Rates (Mortality)

• The European age standardised mortality rate (EASR) for Bridgend County Borough residents for all causes decreased by 10 per cent from 801 in 1996-98 to 720 in 2003-05. Over the same period the equivalent EASR for Wales fell by over 12 per cent
• Major causes of death are from heart-related disease, respiratory disease and from cancer

Illness and Ill Health (Morbidity)

• A quarter of the population (25%) report having a long term illness, health problem or disability limiting daily activity or work compared to the all Wales level of 23.3%
• From the Welsh Health Survey 2005, Bridgend County Borough has slightly poorer mental and physical health than the all Wales average

Poverty

• In the 2005 Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation, 10 of the 85 Lower Super Output Areas (Loses) in Bridgend were in the top 10% most deprived in Wales. These are: Bettws, Blackmill 1, Blackmill 2, Brackla 3, Caerau 1, Caerau 2, Caerau 3, Cornelly 4, Morfa 2 and Sarn 1. Along with Llangeinor, the areas of Bettws, Blackmill and Caerau are currently Communities First areas. Caerau is now the subject of a major regeneration initiative being lead by Bridgend CBC.
• In 2007 a further four areas were added in the Communities First Programme.
• There are differences in improvements or deterioration in prosperity between neighbouring Wards, with pockets of deep-rooted deprivation within the County Borough
• More isolated people and families do not use services available for a range of reasons, which can include lack of transport and communication issues

The Environment

• Transport problems can be a real barrier particularly in terms of access to work, learning, healthcare, food shops and social, cultural and sporting activities. Just over 25% of local people do not have their own transport which is similar to the position for Wales and England

Housing

• Physical health problems and psychological distress have been found to be related to overcrowding, damp housing, mould, indoor pollutants, cold and homelessness
• Just under 10% of houses are unfit for people to live in, which is above the national average (8.5% for Wales and 7.5 % in England)
• There is a shortage of affordable housing and reliance on temporary accommodation
• Accessing mainstream services may be more difficult due to communication and cultural differences

Education

• According to the 2001 Census, over a third (36%) of 16-74 year olds in Bridgend have no qualifications (compared to 20% in England and Wales)

Community Safety

• Variations in crime found between wards. There is no easy north/south County Borough divide regarding crime
• The majority of prisoners come from areas of low employment and deprivation with poor housing and are likely to have experienced poor health
• 46% of prisoners have no educational qualifications, 34% have had learning difficulties and nearly 80% have had no help with their problems

Lifestyle

• The most deprived fifth of the population are the most resistant to stop-smoking messages
• Over a quarter of adults in Bridgend County Borough which is similar to the rest of Wales.
• The average consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables in Wales is lower than recommended, and that of the people of the Bridgend County Borough even lower
• Only 26% of adults in Bridgend County Borough are active at the recommended levels for health (3 or more occasions per week of moderate to strenuous exercise), just above the Welsh average
• In 2000, one third of boys aged 11-12 and half of boys aged 15-16 in Wales took part in physical activity outside school for at least four hours per week. Only one fifth of girls aged 11-16 exercised at this level
• Poverty and overcrowding are still associated with the spread of communicable disease such as TB (tuberculosis)
• Compared to Wales as a whole, more teenagers under the age of 16 are getting pregnant. Not all teenage pregnancies are unwanted or unplanned, but early sexual activity and pregnancy poses risks to physical and mental health, and places teenagers at social and educational disadvantage

Screening Services and Immunisation and Vaccination

• Variation in uptake of breast and cervical cancer screening exists in the defined age groups across the County Borough
• MMR vaccination rates (at age 2) are improving – 97.5% for Bridgend County Borough area - means that the very young and those with poor immune systems are particularly at risk of measles and its complications

Heart Disease and Diabetes

• Studies have shown a relationship between deprivation and incidence of, and death from, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes (Type 2 can be preventable through adequate nutrition and exercise). Almost 5% of local people have heart disease and 3% have been diagnosed with diabetes by their GP

Respiratory Disease

• Poverty causes a higher proportion of deaths in respiratory disease than for any other disease category
• Men aged 20-64 employed in unskilled manual occupations are around 14 times more likely to die from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which is a type of chest disease, and 9 times more likely to die from TB than men employed in professional roles

Cancers

• Those in poverty tend to smoke and have poorer nutrition which increase their risk of developing cancer
• The chance of survival with cancer varies between deprived and affluent people with the affluent having a higher survival rate

Mental Health

• Poverty is linked to poor mental health
• Based on peoples perception of their mental health Bridgend County Borough is below the Welsh Average (Welsh Health Survey)
• According to Welsh Health Survey 10% of people in Bridgend County Borough are being treated for a mental illness compared with a Welsh average of 9%

Substance Misuse

• Substance misuse, which includes alcohol, illegal drugs, medicines and solvents, is linked to social problems such as unemployment, homelessness, poverty and involvement in crime. It can also have an effect on mental and physical health
  Men in the unskilled manual group aged between 25-39 have been found to be 10 times more likely to die from alcohol-related causes than those in the professional group

People with Physical, Sensory and Learning Disabilities

• Buildings and pedestrian areas are not easily accessible for people with mobility, seeing and hearing problems
• People with learning disabilities are more likely to have mental health problems, and other health problems than the average population

Oral Health

• Poor dental health amongst children is more likely where poverty is experienced although this is much reduced in areas with fluoridated water
• According to the Welsh Health Survey, 32% of adults in Bridgend County Borough have fewer than 21 teeth, compared with a Welsh average of 30%.

Children & Young People

• Child pedestrian injuries due to road traffic accidents are higher than the all Wales average with higher rates in the more deprived areas
• From national surveys, children and young people with a mental disorder are more likely to be male, live in a lower income household and be in a lone parent
• The percentage of lone parent households with dependent children shows an 8 fold difference within the County Borough –13% in the more deprived areas compared to 1.5% in the less deprived
• Factors affecting birth weight include those less well off tending to have low birth-weight babies, teenage pregnancies and maternal smoking during pregnancy
• Teenage pregnancies are associated with higher still birth rates
• Within Bridgend County Borough, breast feeding rates at one month are lower in deprived wards (25% in Bettws compared to 39% in Brackla). Breast feeding is known to be associated with health benefits for mother and child

Older People

• Poverty can accompany older age as savings and the value of pensions decline -elderly people can become socially excluded, and not fully valued as citizens
• Fear of crime, the maximisation of income, accessible transport and access to lifelong learning particularly impact on older people

Carers

• 12.6% of the Bridgend County Borough population are unpaid carers which is higher than the average for Wales (11.7%)