This annual publication presents a comprehensive analysis of health inequality gaps between the most and least deprived areas of Northern Ireland, and within health and social care (HSC) trust and local government district (LGD) areas. The report is accompanied by downloadable data tables which contain all figures including district electoral areas (DEA) as well as urban and rural breakdowns.

P.27 Alcohol, smoking & drugs

Alcohol, smoking and drug related indicators continued to have some of the largest health inequalities in NI. The inequality gaps for alcohol related and drug related admissions, in addition to alcohol specific mortality, narrowed over the observed period. However alcohol specific mortality in the most deprived areas remained around four times that in the least deprived areas and drug related mortality was over four and half times that in the least deprived areas. While alcohol and drug related admission rates fell at the regional level, the opposite was true for alcohol specific, drug related and drug misuse death rates.