Scottish Government
Printable version

Winter Mortality in Scotland 2013-14

A National Statistics Publication for Scotland

The number of deaths registered in Scotland during winter 2013/14 was the lowest since records began more than 60 years ago.

Figures released today by the National Records of Scotland show there were 18,675 deaths registered in Scotland in the four months to March 2014. This was the lowest number of deaths registered in Scotland in the winter since records began in 1951/52.

The 18,675 deaths registered in the four winter months of 2013/14 exceeded both the 16,848 deaths in the preceding four-month period and the 17,297 deaths in the following four-month period.

The seasonal difference (comparing the four winter months with the average of the four-month periods before and after the winter, and rounding the result) was 1,600 for winter 2013/14. This was about 400 below the corresponding figure of 2,000 for winter 2012/13, and the second lowest figure of any of the 63 winters for which these statistics have been produced (the 1,420 for winter 2011/12 was the lowest value). The last fourteen winters have had seven out of the ten lowest figures in the 63 winters for which these statistics are available.

Commenting on ‘Winter Mortality in Scotland - 2013/14’, Tim Ellis, Chief Executive of the National Records of Scotland, said:

"There are always more deaths in the winter in Scotland than in any other season, but last winter had the second lowest seasonal increase in all the years, since 1951/52, for which we have figures.

"The long-term trend over the last 60 years or so has clearly been downward. The five-year moving average, which smoothes out much of the year-to-year fluctuation, is at its lowest ever level.

"There is no single cause of additional deaths in winter. Very few are caused by hypothermia and only a small proportion by influenza. Most are from respiratory and circulatory diseases such as pneumonia, coronary heart disease and stroke.”

Background

The report "Winter Mortality in Scotland - 2013/14" is available on the Web site via:http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/deaths/winter-mortality

For the purpose of these statistics, the seasonal increase in mortality in the winter is defined as the difference between the number of deaths in the four-month "winter" period (December to March, inclusive) and the average of the numbers in the two four-month periods which precede winter (August-November) and which follow winter (April-July).

The report shows the seasonal increase in mortality recorded each winter in Scotland since 1990/91, broken down by age-group, and the overall figures back to 1951/52. Statistics showing the effect on different age groups for each NHS Board area and each Local Authority area are provided for the latest ten winters onwards. A chart which is on page 35 of the report shows how the seasonal increase in mortality, and the 5-year moving average, have tended (in general) to decline since winter 1951/52 - and that there have been some considerable year-to-year fluctuations.

Information about the numbers of deaths from different causes is given in the Vital Events Reference Tables (available via http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/vital-events-reference-tables ). Paragraph 3.5 of the report explains that, in most years, there are only a few deaths for which the underlying cause is recorded as influenza.

Further statistics on births, deaths and other vital events, produced by NRS, can be accessed via:http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events

Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff. All National Records of Scotland’s statistics can be accessed via http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data

 

Channel website: http://www.gov.scot/

Share this article

Latest News from
Scottish Government