Description
Book SynopsisThis impressive full-colour atlas, with over 100 colour-coded and accessible maps, uniquely presents the geography of death in Britain. The first atlas published on this subject for over two decades, this book presents data from more than 14 million deaths over a 24-year period in Britain. The maps detail over 100 separate categories of cause of death, including various cancers, suicides, assault by firearms, multiple sclerosis, pneumonia, hypothermia, falls, and Parkinson's disease, and show how often these occurred in different neighbourhoods. Accompanying each map is a detailed description and brief geographical analysis - the number of people who have died due to each cause, the average age of death and ratio of male to female deaths are listed. Taken as a whole, these provide a comprehensive overview of the geographical pattern of mortality in Britain. This atlas will be essential reading for academics and students of social medicine, sociology of health and illness and epidemiology. It will also be valuable for anyone who wants a better understanding of patterns of mortality within Britain, including medical and healthcare practitioners, policy makers and researchers.
Trade Review"Visually it is stunning. I expect that it will become an important reference point for years to come." Kate Woodthorpe, OU, in Ageing & Society, Vol 29, 2009.
"With the increasing emphasis on working together in partnership to reduce health inequalities, boost life expectancy and reduce mortality rates from the 'big killer' diseases, the potentially awkward subject of death and its causes is of growing interest to an ever wider audience. Whatever their background, readers will find The Grim Reaper's road map a gentle and fascinating introduction to the topic." LariaNews, Feb 2009
"The use of cartograms has been pioneered in the UK by Professor Danny Dorling and much of the inspiration for this report comes from his book `The Grim Reaper’s Road Map: An atlas of mortality in Britain’. It adds a unique perspective, showing maps where the area is proportional to the resident population rather than the geographical area, in contrast to conventional maps where urban centres that are represented by small geographical areas contain substantial resident populations. " Chief Medical Officer Annual Report 2012
"One small island; such diversity. The remarkable geographical differences in health in Britain are beautifully displayed in these stunning maps. It makes clear how potent are the effects on health of the environment in which people carry on their lives." Michael Marmot, Director International Institute for Society and Health, University College London
"Given the significant magnitude of geographic disparities in mortality (such as the north-south divide and the persistently high mortality in particular regions), this volume will make an important contribution to the understanding of mortality patterns in Britain." Dr James Dunn, Departments of Geography & Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto
Table of ContentsIntroduction; All deaths; Homicide; Transport; Suicide; External; Infections; Cancer; Mental disorder; Cardiovascular; Respiratory; Individual causes of death
