SCOTLAND is seeing a growing divide between rich and poor, according to new figures, as health continues to improve in more affluent areas.
The Scottish Household Survey 2006 shows the number of people smoking has fallen to 25 per cent of the population. In 1999 the figure was 30 per cent. In the most deprived areas, however, the rate of smoking is 41 per cent, compared with 13 per cent
in the least deprived areas.
Maureen Moore, the chief executive of ASH Scotland, said the west of Scotland was the worst-affected area.
But she added: "It is not as easy as an east-west, north-south, or rural-urban divide. Both the lowest and highest rates of smoking are in the west of Scotland and urban areas can have lower rates than rural. What we are seeing is a growing divide in the rates of smoking between the deprived and affluent areas of Scotland."
Ms Moore said anti-smoking messages were not getting across in poorer areas.
She continued: "This gap in smoking rates between Scotland's most affluent and poorest communities points to a growing health-inequalities gap in Scotland that must be tackled."
Smoking is not the only health variable where deprived areas are worse off.
In deprived areas 41 per cent of people say they have good health, compared with 64 per cent in the least deprived and 53 per cent across Scotland.
The contrast between rich and poor goes beyond health.
The survey of more than 30,000 people showed those in deprived areas were more likely to suffer as a result of antisocial behaviour and fear of crime.
Overall, 73 per cent of those in the least deprived areas rated their neighbourhood as "very good", while just a quarter of those in the most deprived neighbourhoods gave theirs that rating.
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH The fear of crime is worse for younger people, women and those living in deprived areas and cities.
A third of women think it is unsafe to walk alone at night in their neighbourhood compared to 12 per cent of men. And fewer women say fear of crime has no effect on their lives. The young also suffered more from anti-social behaviour. Sixteen per cent of those aged 75 or older experienced neighbourhood problems in the last 12 months compared with 42 per cent of 16-24 year olds.
Problems such as graffiti are higher in large urban areas than remote rural areas, while overall fear of crime increases with the level of deprivation.
FACILITIES HINDER RECYCLING THE majority of Scottish householders recycle some rubbish and those who don't blame local authorities for lack of facilities.
Eighty per cent of households recycled either paper or tin in 2006, compared to 50 per cent in 2003. In South Ayrshire, 97 per cent of the population recycled, while in Glasgow only 55 per cent bothered.
However, among people who did not recycle, 50 per cent claimed it was because there were no facilities available and 10 per cent said recycling bins were too far away. In Glasgow, almost 75 per cent of those who did not recycle said it was because of lack of facilities.
LIFESTYLE VARIATIONS SATISFACTION with lifestyle and levels of education varied with where people live.
Citizens of Edinburgh were by far the best qualified in Scotland with 40 per cent having degrees, East Dunbartonshire was next with 32 per cent. West Dunbartonshire had the lowest percentage, at 15 per cent.
The Islands come out as the best place to live, with over 70 per cent satisfaction compared to 35 per cent in Glasgow and 39 per cent in Clackmannanshire.
A third of people all over Scotland felt that their council does not give a high quality service. Dissatisfaction with the council tended to increase with younger people.
COMMUNICATIONS NEW methods of communication are growing fast, while the old methods die out.
New Year 2005-6 was the point at which internet users overtook non-internet users.
However, there were significant differences between age groups, with only 7 per cent of those aged 75 and over using the internet, compared with 76 per cent of those aged 16-24.
While internet use has soared, the traditional telephone box has become almost redundant - just 9 per cent of people use them more than once a year.
VOLUNTEERING DOUBLE the number of people in rural areas are involved in voluntary work than those in urban areas.
Overall one in four adults have taken part in voluntary activities in the last 12 months. It is more common among those who are self-employed or working part-time and among higher income households. For example, 45 per cent of adults in households with an annual income of more than £40,000 get involved.
In remote areas 41 per cent of people volunteer compared with 22 per cent in large urban areas.
The most common reasons for stopping volunteering work are lack of time or illness.
HIGH EMPLOYMENT, LOW WAGES LEVELS of employment are high, but a small proportion of people earn high salaries. Just over half of all adults are in some type of paid employment, while 27 per cent are retired, 3 per cent are unemployed, 7 per cent are looking after the home or family, 5 per cent are in full-time education and 6 per cent are unable to work on the grounds of health or disability.
Just under half (48 per cent) of women are in some type of paid employment, compared with 58 per cent of men
However, just under half of households have a net annual household income of £15,000 or less. Only 8 per cent of households have a net annual income of over £40,000.
RELIGION THE most common affiliation is with the Church of Scotland, with just over four in ten of all adults being of that faith. Fifteen per cent of adults are Roman Catholics, 7 per cent class themselves as belonging to other Christian denominations and 2 per cent of adults belong to other religions. Overall, a third of all adults have no religious affiliation, although this varies by age, with younger adults being more likely to have no religious faith. In couple households, both partners tend to share the same religion, and where the highest-income householder is identified as having no affiliation, the same holds for their spouse, in the majority of cases.
The full article contains 1079 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
