Austerity linked to rising mortality rates among older pensioners

Austerity linked to rising mortality rates among older pensioners

Public Release: 15-Mar-2016
Austerity linked to rising mortality rates among older pensioners
SAGE

Rising mortality rates among pensioners aged 85 and over are linked to reductions in spending on income support for poorer pensioners, suggests new research published today by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. The researchers suggest that austerity measures in England have affected vulnerable old-age adults.

Sociology and public health researchers analysed mortality statistics for 324 local authorities in England covering the years 2007 to 2013 to examine whether budgetary reductions in pension credit and social care have been associated with recent rises in mortality rates among pensioners aged 85 and over. They found a significant association between both declines in pension credit spending per beneficiary and the number of beneficiaries with increases in age-85+ mortality.

The researchers say that put into perspective their model estimates that the average drop in pension credit spending per beneficiary in 2012 of 3% corresponds to a 1.4% rise in mortality. The decline in pension credit beneficiaries observed in 2012 translates to a rise of 2.7% in mortality. Lead researcher Dr Rachel Loopstra, Department of Sociology, University of Oxford, said: "Together, these changes are of a sufficient magnitude to explain almost 90% of the observed 4.6% rise in mortality of that year.

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Dr Loopstra said: "Poorer older age adults are one of the most vulnerable groups in the population and a reduction of just a few pounds could make a considerable difference to disposable income. Declines of this magnitude can cause significant stress and anxiety to people of older ages, which could precipitate heart attack or stroke." Other reasons for the increase in mortality for these pensioners could include reduced nutrition, inadequate heating, damp or other health damaging circumstances, and social isolation.

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