If you travel just 7 miles between the villages of Shortlanesend and Perranporth, life expectancy for women drops by nine years, from 88 to 79.
Sadly, this isn’t an isolated example. Some communities and groups of people across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly spend more of their lives in poor health and die sooner than others.
This disparity in people’s health and wellbeing is down to a number of factors. These include education, housing, employment, genetic make-up and our behaviours. Some cannot be changed, but others can and must be improved. This is so everyone has an equal opportunity to live a happy and healthy life.
Tackling these health inequalities is the focus of the Director of Public Health Annual Report 2022-2023.
This year’s report takes a look at some of the key elements which impact on our health and wellbeing. It also highlights projects which are seeking to support communities and address challenges people face across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
