Northerners aged 25 to 44 more likely to die from causes such as suicide and smoking

There has been a “profoundly concerning” rise in early deaths from accidents, suicide, alcohol misuse, smoking, cancer and drug addiction in the north of England, deepening the north-south divide, research has found.

Socioeconomic deprivation has led to a particularly sharp rise in deaths among 25 to 44-year-olds , according to new data analysis from Manchester university.

Northerners in that age group were 47% more likely to die from cardiovascular complications, 109% from alcohol misuse and 60% from drug misuse, compared with southerners, the paper published in the Lancet Public Health medical journal stated.

Between 2014 and 2016, 3,530 more men and 1,881 more women aged between 25 and 44 died in the north than in the south, when population and age are taken into account.

Chart comparing the number of deaths in north and south of England in 2014-2016 Between 2014 and 2016, 3,530 more men and 1,881 more women aged between 25 and 44 died in the north than in the south

Research also found that fatal traffic accidents were far more common in the north than the south, with nine of the 10 lowest-risk counties in the south. It suggests that poor transport infrastructure in the north could be to blame, with investment “heavily skewed towards the south, especially London”.

Excessive speed, intoxication, failure to wear seatbelts, and unlicensed or uninsured driving are most prevalent in the most deprived areas in England. Pedestrians are also more likely to be killed in deprived areas, they claim.

Experts analysed deaths and population data from the 10 government office regions and found work-related fatal accidents were also higher in the north of England, mainly owing to variations in regional industries and occupations and their associated risks.

The fact that healthier people tend to migrate from north to south could also increase the north-south divide, research suggests.

The north–south divide in mortality for people aged 25–44 years first emerged during the mid-1990s and continued into 2016. This mortality divide grew quickly during that period for accidents among men relating to alcohol and drug misuse, while a longstanding gap for cardiovascular deaths remained and a gap for male suicide emerged more recently.

London had the lowest mortality rates, with the north-east having the highest, even after adjusting for age, sex and socioeconomic deprivation.

Suicide among men, especially at ages 30-34, is significantly more common in the north than the south.

Professor Evan Kontopantelis, the lead author on the paper, said northern men may be more susceptible to societal pressure.

“Without sounding too sexist, there is a bigger pressure for males in terms of getting a job and having a steady job and providing. That might be more relevant in the north, culturally,” he said. “There are people who might feel left behind by society; there is immense pressure there. This is felt by both sexes but maybe it is more damaging for men.”

Women in the north are more likely to die young from cancers caused by “risky behaviours”, particularly those related to smoking (lung and oropharynx), drinking (stomach and liver) and cervical cancer, which “is largely determined by sexual behaviour risk factors, including age at first intercourse, number of sexual partners, failure to use a condom during intercourse with multiple partners, and screening programme non-engagement”.

He said: “Sharp rises in deaths from accidents, suicide, alcohol misuse, smoking, cancer and drug addiction appear to have created new health divisions between England’s regions and are profoundly concerning. These causes of death are all strongly associated with socioeconomic deprivation and in our models two-thirds of the excess mortality in the north was explained by that.

Alcohol for example, underpins the steep and sustained increase in liver cirrhosis deaths in Britain from the 1990s, when the north-south divide in mortality for those aged 25-44 started to emerge.”

He said the “extreme” concentration of power, wealth and opportunity in the capital were having a malign effect on the rest of the country.

“England’s centralist tradition has blighted successive generations, and without major structural change will continue to damage public health,” he said.

More money should be spent on the north, particularly the NHS, he said, adding: “The north has been left behind and particularly for this generation of people seem to be much more affected by policies, by investment. There is a risk in an already fragmented society in terms of a divided England, that the north will become even more different from the south.”