Life expectancy for those living in Motherwell and Wishaw is one of the lowest in the country according to shock new figures.
Statistics from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) show that a male baby under 12 months old living in the Scottish Parliamentary constituency is expected to live an average of 73.10 years.
This puts the constituency in the top five of a rather depressing table alongside Glasgow constituencies Maryhill, Provan, Pollok and Shettleston of lowest life expectancies in Scotland.
The female life expectancy in the constituency is 77.79 - also the fifth lowest tally for women.
Motherwell and Wishaw MSP Clare Adamson said: ““These figures make for unacceptable reading. Poor health outcomes are inextricably linked to poverty and deprivation.
“In my community, this is the legacy of post-industrialisation. It was the betrayal of steel workers and the UK Government’s failure to implement a just transition that drove me into politics.
“We are bearing the brunt of chronic cuts to social security and a lack of investment in post-industrial areas.
“This is a generational issue, but I fear under this new UK regime, people will continue to suffer from similarly poor outcomes.
“Without serious targeted support, my constituents will be pushed into poverty this winter. That will lead to more illness and more death.
“That is the stark reality. Poverty is ultimately a political choice; that is why I advocate for a different choice for Scotland.”
Across Lanarkshire, Airdrie and Shotts had the next lowest life expectancy with just 73.49 years for males and 77.93 for females which made it into the top 10 of the Scottish Hall of Shame.
The Rutherglen constituency’s figures were 74.04 for males and 79.05 for females while over in Uddingston and Bellshill the stats were 74.69 for men and 79.19 for women.
For those living in Coatbridge and Chryston the figures jumped slightly to 74.84 years for men and 79.11 years for women while the milestones of 75 for men and 80 for women were passed for the first time in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.
The East Kilbride, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth and Clydesdale constituencies were the best performing in Lanarkshire.
Life expectancy across Scotland has fallen for the second year in a row and remains the lowest in the UK and western Europe.
The national average fell by about three months for men to 76.6 years and two months for women to 80.8 years.
Julie Ramsay, Head of Vital Events Statistics at NRS, said: “Life expectancy has decreased by more than 11 weeks for males and almost eight weeks for females since 2018-2020.”
The report states that between the early 1980s and early 2010s, life expectancy was increasing in Scotland. In 2012-2014 the trend changed and life expectancy stopped increasing and began to plateau.
In both 2018-2020 and 2019-2021, life expectancy has fallen.
Although the pandemic played a major part in the recent downturn, the report also blames drug related deaths and deaths from dementia and Alzheimer’s.
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