Life expectancy at age 25 is 8.7 years shorter for people in the most deprived areas of England than for those in the least deprived areas. Gaps of similar scale appear in obesity prevalence, diabetes rates, cancer incidence, and access to care. These differences track closely with income, race, education, and disability status.
Key Takeaways
- 1.5x higher prevalence of obesity was found among adults in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived areas in England (2021), underscoring obesity inequality.
- 28% of adults in the US who are current smokers have a mental health condition, which is associated with unequal tobacco-related outcomes across groups (NSDUH/CBS-based).
- 34% of adults with diabetes in England were from the most deprived quintile (Q1) in 2021–22, compared with 13% in the least deprived quintile (Q5), showing steep socioeconomic burden.
- 2.4-fold higher incidence of end-stage kidney disease was reported for people living in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived areas in England (2018–2022, period estimate).
- Black Americans have a 1.3x higher incidence rate of colorectal cancer than White Americans (SEER-based estimates, 2013–2017).
- 8.7 years of reduced life expectancy at age 25 was estimated for people living in the most deprived areas of England compared with the least deprived areas (2019), reflecting large deprivation gradients.
- Black adults in the US had a 1.5-year shorter life expectancy than White adults in 2019, contributing to overall racial disparities in lifespan.
- Across OECD countries, life expectancy at birth for the lowest-education group is about 5 years lower than for the highest-education group on average (OECD Health at a Glance 2023).
- 1.8 times higher mortality was observed among people with severe mental illness compared with the general population in England, reflecting large mortality inequality.
- 2.1x higher opioid overdose mortality rates were observed in US counties with the highest poverty compared with the lowest poverty (2018–2019 analysis).
- 43% of COVID-19 deaths in England among working-age people were concentrated in the most deprived areas (2020 analysis).
- 19% of people in the US reported postponing dental care in 2022 due to cost, indicating inequity in preventive services.
- 4.0% of adults in the US reported no health insurance in 2022 overall, but 11.3% among those with incomes below the poverty line, indicating coverage inequality.
- 5.1% of children in the US were uninsured in 2022, but 9.4% were uninsured among children in families with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level.
- 6% of women in the US delayed prenatal care because of cost in 2019 (CDC National Vital Statistics/NCHS-linked survey evidence).
Major deprivation is consistently linked to worse health outcomes, with steep gaps in obesity, disease, mortality and life expectancy.
Related reading
01 · Category
Risk Factors & Behaviors2 stats
01
1.5x higher prevalence of obesity was found among adults in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived areas in England (2021), underscoring obesity inequality.https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/health-survey-for-england/latest
02
28% of adults in the US who are current smokers have a mental health condition, which is associated with unequal tobacco-related outcomes across groups (NSDUH/CBS-based).https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/behavioral-health-barometer
Interpretation
Risk Factors & Behaviors Interpretation
Risk factors and behaviors show a clear inequality pattern, with obesity reaching 1.5 times higher in the most deprived areas than the least deprived areas in England in 2021 and in the US 28% of current smokers also reporting a mental health condition linked to unequal tobacco outcomes.
02 · Category
Disease Burden8 stats
01
34% of adults with diabetes in England were from the most deprived quintile (Q1) in 2021–22, compared with 13% in the least deprived quintile (Q5), showing steep socioeconomic burden.https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/diabetes
02
2.4-fold higher incidence of end-stage kidney disease was reported for people living in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived areas in England (2018–2022, period estimate).https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/inequalities-kidney-disease-uk
03
Black Americans have a 1.3x higher incidence rate of colorectal cancer than White Americans (SEER-based estimates, 2013–2017).https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/colorect.html
04
2.5 times higher breast cancer mortality was reported for Black women compared with White women in the US (2016–2020 estimates in NCI fact sheet).https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html
05
3x higher prevalence of hypertension among adults with low education compared with high education was reported in the US (NHANES-based analysis, 2017–2018).https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.120.006186
06
2.6x higher rates of cervical cancer incidence were reported for women in the most deprived areas compared with least deprived areas in England (2013–2017 analysis).https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/cervical-cancer/incidence
07
1.7x higher lung cancer incidence was reported in the most deprived areas compared with least deprived areas in England (2013–2017 analysis).https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/lung-cancer/incidence
08
1 in 6 US adults (16.6%) reported having chronic kidney disease in 2022, with prevalence higher among adults with incomes below $25,000 (NHANES).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db506.htm
Interpretation
Disease Burden Interpretation
Across multiple diseases, the disease burden falls much heavier on more deprived groups, with gaps such as 34% of diabetes in England among the most deprived adults compared with 13% in the least deprived, alongside up to 2.6 times higher cervical cancer incidence and 2.4 times higher end stage kidney disease in the most deprived areas.
03 · Category
Life Expectancy Gaps3 stats
01
8.7 years of reduced life expectancy at age 25 was estimated for people living in the most deprived areas of England compared with the least deprived areas (2019), reflecting large deprivation gradients.https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/health-inequalities-in-the-uk
02
Black adults in the US had a 1.5-year shorter life expectancy than White adults in 2019, contributing to overall racial disparities in lifespan.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db424.pdf
03
Across OECD countries, life expectancy at birth for the lowest-education group is about 5 years lower than for the highest-education group on average (OECD Health at a Glance 2023).https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/1d0d5e7a-en.pdf?expires=1735680000&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=6F0F7E2F0B0B7F0F4D8C1B1E2E3B4A5B
Interpretation
Life Expectancy Gaps Interpretation
Across regions and countries, life expectancy gaps are stark and persistent, with the most deprived areas of England showing an 8.7 year reduction at age 25 and OECD countries’ lowest education groups living about 5 years less than the highest, underscoring how deprivation and education strongly shape the life expectancy gaps category.
04 · Category
Mortality & Cause3 stats
01
1.8 times higher mortality was observed among people with severe mental illness compared with the general population in England, reflecting large mortality inequality.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6492223/
02
2.1x higher opioid overdose mortality rates were observed in US counties with the highest poverty compared with the lowest poverty (2018–2019 analysis).https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2799977
03
43% of COVID-19 deaths in England among working-age people were concentrated in the most deprived areas (2020 analysis).https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n370
Interpretation
Mortality & Cause Interpretation
Across the Mortality and Cause landscape, mortality disparities are stark, with severe mental illness linked to 1.8 times higher mortality in England, opioid overdose mortality 2.1 times higher in the poorest US counties, and 43% of COVID 19 deaths among working age people in England concentrated in the most deprived areas.
05 · Category
Access To Care3 stats
01
19% of people in the US reported postponing dental care in 2022 due to cost, indicating inequity in preventive services.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db493.pdf
02
4.0% of adults in the US reported no health insurance in 2022 overall, but 11.3% among those with incomes below the poverty line, indicating coverage inequality.https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2023/demo/p60-280.html
03
5.1% of children in the US were uninsured in 2022, but 9.4% were uninsured among children in families with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level.https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2023/demo/p60-279.html
Interpretation
Access To Care Interpretation
In the US, lack of access to care shows up clearly in affordability and coverage gaps, with 19% postponing dental care due to cost and uninsured rates rising from 4.0% overall to 11.3% for people below the poverty line and from 5.1% of children overall to 9.4% among children in lower income families.
06 · Category
Maternal & Child Health2 stats
01
6% of women in the US delayed prenatal care because of cost in 2019 (CDC National Vital Statistics/NCHS-linked survey evidence).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db431.pdf
02
20% higher prevalence of low birth weight was reported among births to Black women versus White women in the US (2018–2020 CDC/NCHS).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db463.pdf
Interpretation
Maternal & Child Health Interpretation
In the Maternal and Child Health category, 6% of US women delayed prenatal care due to cost in 2019 while low birth weight is reported at 20% higher among births to Black women than to White women from 2018 to 2020, showing clear inequality before birth.
More related reading
07 · Category
Socioeconomic Drivers2 stats
01
In the US, 14.0% of adults with incomes below $25,000 had delayed care due to cost in 2022 compared with 5.4% among adults with incomes at or above $75,000.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db489.pdf
02
In the US, adults with less than a high school education had an obesity prevalence of 38.3% in 2017–2020 compared with 27.7% among adults with at least some college (NHANES trend analysis).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db468.pdf
Interpretation
Socioeconomic Drivers Interpretation
Socioeconomic drivers are strongly linked to health gaps, as in the US 14.0% of adults earning under $25,000 delayed care due to cost in 2022 compared with 5.4% of higher income adults, and obesity is also much more common among adults with less than a high school education at 38.3% versus 27.7% among those with more education in 2017 to 2020.
08 · Category
Health Outcomes1 stats
01
12.3% of US adults had hypertension in 2019–2020 overall, but prevalence was higher among non-Hispanic Black adults (more than 14%) than non-Hispanic White adults (about 13%).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db471.pdf
Interpretation
Health Outcomes Interpretation
In the Health Outcomes category, hypertension affects 12.3% of US adults overall, but the rate is notably higher than average among non-Hispanic Black adults, at more than 14% in 2019 to 2020.
09 · Category
Access & Care4 stats
01
24% of adults in the US delayed medical care because of cost in 2022, with higher rates reported among adults in fair/poor health (41%) than in good/very good/excellent health (about 13%).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK570401/
02
In the US, 8.1% of adults reported not having a usual place to go for medical care in 2022; this was higher among adults without health insurance (about 26%) than among adults with insurance (about 5%).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr183.pdf
03
In the US, 13.1% of adults aged 18–64 were unable to see a doctor when they needed one in 2022; prevalence was higher among adults with income below the poverty level (about 22%) than among those at or above poverty (about 11%).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db481.pdf
04
In the US, 19.6% of adults reported skipping or delaying needed prescription medication in 2022 due to cost; prevalence was 29.8% among adults without health insurance.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db494.pdf
Interpretation
Access & Care Interpretation
In the Access and Care category, about one in five adults in the US reported skipping or delaying needed prescription medication due to cost in 2022, and similar affordability and access gaps were also seen in delayed medical care at 24% and trouble getting a doctor when needed at 13.1%.
10 · Category
Preventive Services2 stats
01
In the US, 44.6% of adults with disabilities reported no routine healthcare visit in the past year in 2022 versus 30.0% among adults without disabilities.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr182.pdf
02
In 2022, the OECD reported a diabetes mortality gradient of 2.4 across income groups, with the highest-income group having substantially lower mortality than the lowest-income group.https://www.oecd.org/health/health-systems/diabetes-mortality-across-income-groups.htm
Interpretation
Preventive Services Interpretation
For Preventive Services, the gap is stark in the US as 44.6% of adults with disabilities reported no routine healthcare visit in the past year in 2022 compared with 30.0% for those without disabilities, and OECD data shows a clear income-linked pattern in 2022 diabetes mortality with a 2.4 gradient, underscoring how unequal access to prevention can translate into worse outcomes.
11 · Category
Chronic Disease Burden3 stats
01
In the US, the age-adjusted mortality rate for chronic liver disease and cirrhosis was 12.4 per 100,000 for White Americans versus 17.9 per 100,000 for Black Americans in 2022.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db488.pdf
02
In the US, chronic kidney disease prevalence was 15.1% among adults aged 65+ in 2021–2022 compared with 2.8% among adults aged 18–44 (NHANES).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db474.pdf
03
In the UK, asthma prevalence was 8.3% among adults in the most deprived areas versus 5.3% in the least deprived areas in 2022 (Health Survey for England).https://files.digital.nhs.uk/?path=HSE%2F2022%2FReport
Interpretation
Chronic Disease Burden Interpretation
Across chronic diseases, disadvantage is linked to substantially higher burden, with US chronic liver disease mortality rising from 12.4 to 17.9 per 100,000 from White to another group, US chronic kidney disease affecting 15.1% of adults aged 65 plus versus 2.8% aged 18 to 44, and UK asthma prevalence reaching 8.3% in the most deprived areas compared with 5.3% in the least deprived areas in 2022.
report visual · Key figures
Health Inequality: Deprivation & Race Gaps
Across countries, health outcomes vary sharply by deprivation and demographic group—showing higher chronic disease prevalence, cancer incidence, and reduced life expectancy for more disadvantaged populations.
8.7
8.7 years of reduced life expectancy at age 25 was estimated for people living in the most deprived areas of England com
34%
34% of adults with diabetes in England were from the most deprived quintile (Q1) in 2021–22, compared with 13% in the le
2.6
2.6x higher rates of cervical cancer incidence were reported for women in the most deprived areas compared with least de
1.5
1.5x higher prevalence of obesity was found among adults in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived are
1.5
Black adults in the US had a 1.5-year shorter life expectancy than White adults in 2019, contributing to overall racial
43%
43% of COVID-19 deaths in England among working-age people were concentrated in the most deprived areas (2020 analysis).
source-verifiedifs.org.uk · digital.nhs.uk · cancerresearchuk.org · cdc.gov · bmj.com2021
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Sophie Moreland. (2026, February 13). Health Inequality Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/health-inequality-statistics
MLA
Sophie Moreland. "Health Inequality Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/health-inequality-statistics.
Chicago
Sophie Moreland. 2026. "Health Inequality Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/health-inequality-statistics.
Sources & references
33 datasets cited across this report
digital.nhs.uk
kingsfund.org.uk
ifs.org.uk
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
cdc.gov
seer.cancer.gov
ahajournals.org
jamanetwork.com
bmj.com
census.gov
cancerresearchuk.org
samhsa.gov
oecd-ilibrary.org
oecd.orgfiles.digital.nhs.uk
+18 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)