Health of the nation | 1980s Sheffield | Lessons from the Dead | Health | This week | 1987

IN A SHEFFIELD IF YOU LIVE IN A POORER PART OF THE CITY YOUR LIFE EXPECTANCY IS AT LEAST FIVE YEARS LOWER THAN IF YOU LIVE IN THE RICHER SUBURBS. YOU ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO HAVE A FATAL HEART ATTACK AND THREE TIMES MORE AT RISK OF DYING FROM LUNG CANCER. YOUR BABIES ARE MORE PRONE TO DIE IN INFANCY; YOUR CHILDREN TO REQUIRE ADMISSION TO HOSPITAL. THESE STATISTICS - WHICH STARTLES AND DISMAY THE CITY HEALTH AUTHORITY - HAVE BEEN PRODUCED BY THE SIMPLE BUT PIONEERING USE OF POWERFUL COMPUTER WHICH CAN BE USED TO RECORD PATTERNS OF SICKNESS AND DEATH ACROSS SHEFFIELD. THE COMPUTER IS ABLE TO PRODUCE PRECISE STATISTICS FOR EVERY WARD, EVERY HOUSING ESTATE, EVEN FOR EVERY STREET IN THE CITY.
Jonathan Dimbleby investigates.

First shown: 19/02/1987
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Quote: VT37827