Key findings – Regional

Alcohol and drug related indicators continue to show some of the largest health inequalities monitored in NI, with drug related and alcohol specific mortality in the most deprived areas around five times the rates seen in the least deprived.

In 2016, the under 20 teenage birth rate in the most deprived areas was almost six times the rate in the least deprived and the proportion of mothers reporting smoking in pregnancy in the most deprived areas was almost five times that in the least deprived

Key findings - Sub-Regional

Similar to the regional picture, deprivation related inequality was most prominent in indicators relating to alcohol and drugs, self-harm, smoking in pregnancy and teenage births, which were among the five largest inequality gaps for the majority of Trusts and LGDs.

Drug related mortality was the largest inequality gap within the Belfast Trust (113%), Northern Trust (143%), and South Eastern Trust (138%), and deaths due to drug misuse was the largest inequality gap seen in the Western Trust (159%). Within the Southern Trust, the largest inequality gap was seen with alcohol specific mortality where the rate in the most deprived areas was double the Trust average.

Drug related mortality was also the largest inequality gap seen in six of the eleven LGDs, where rates in the most deprived LGD areas were between two and three times the LGD average rates. In Belfast LGD the largest gap was seen with drug related admissions (99%)

Self-harm admissions showed the largest gap in Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon (102%), alcohol related admissions showed the largest gap in Fermanagh & Omagh (91%), and alcohol specific mortality showed the largest gap for both Derry & Strabane (149%) and Newry, Mourne & Down LGD (109%).