Story: Women’s health

Deprivation effect

This graph shows the effect of deprivation on life expectancy. The least deprived group (quintile one) have the highest life expectancy, while the most deprived have the lowest life expectancy. Although women generally live longer than men, ethnicity alters this pattern: in every quintile, Māori women die younger than Pākehā men.

Lower life expectancy has a ripple effect on a community. Those aged in their 60s and early 70s are more likely to die, those in their 50s and 40s are more likely to have lost their parents, aunts and uncles, and those in their 20s and 30s with young families are less likely to have grandparents to help them care for children. The effect of earlier death spreads beyond family and whānau, depriving communities of the older people who advise and support many voluntary groups and marae.

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Source: Life Expectancy and Small Area Deprivation in New Zealand, Wellington: Ministry of Health, 2001, p. 4

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How to cite this page:

Megan Cook, 'Women’s health - Health and life expectancy', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/interactive/31464/deprivation-effect (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Megan Cook, published 5 May 2011