Are deprivation indicators a proxy for morbidity? A comparison of the prevalence of arthritis, depression, dyspepsia, obesity and respiratory symptoms with unemployment rates and Jarman scores.

The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between specific areas of morbidity measured using validated survey questions and deprivation indicators to see if the latter could act as a proxy in health needs assessment, health service planning and resource allocation in a typical health authority. A postal questionnaire was used to provide information about arthritis, depression, dyspepsia, obesity and respiratory symptoms in a simple random sample from the study population. The questions were from survey instruments that have been widely used to derive information about these conditions. The relationships between the prevalence of these specific areas of morbidity and both unemployment and the Jarman Underprivileged Areas Score were explored. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were calculated and compared for each combination of measures. The study population was a random sample of the residents of each of the 22 electoral wards in Rotherham Health Authority. Responses were obtained from 82 per cent of the 5000 sampled. Although all morbidity measures showed positive correlations with both Jarman score and unemployment, some, notably those relating to respiratory disease and depression, were much more strongly correlated than others, such as obesity. There was no difference between unemployment and Jarman score in respect of the magnitude of the correlation coefficients. In conclusion, for some, but not all, conditions socio-economic measures are a good proxy for morbidity. Unemployment is just as useful a proxy as the Jarman score.