Table 1

Trends in seasonality ratio across quintiles of population density and Townsend score

Population density (rurality)
Quintiles of ward population density12345
(range of population/km2)(8.07 to 52.87)(52.88 to 142.40)(142.41 to 749.71)(749.72 to 2661.41)(2661.42 to 11974.46)
Number of wards234234234234233
Seasonality ratio116.32117.02117.10115.90116.42Ptrend 0.3
(95% confidence intervals)*(112.42 to 120.36)(113.82 to 120.30)(114.53 to 119.73)(113.73 to 118.10)(114.48 to 118.39)
Area deprivation
*Seasonality ratio: mean age sex directly standardised mortality rate in the winter months (December to March) divided by mean age sex directly standardised mortality rate in the non-winter months, expressed as a percentage. Data aggregated over five years 1994–98; †higher scores (highest quintiles) indicate greater deprivation.
Quintiles of Townsend deprivation score12345
(range of Townsend score)†(−6.85 to −2.98)(−2.97 to −1.73)(−1.72 to −0.65)(−0.64 to 0.70)(0.71 to 9.24)
Number of wards234234234233234
Seasonality ratio115.28116.65118.04116.50115.87Ptrend 0.6
(95% confidence intervals)*(112.48 to 118.15)(113.76 to 119.60)(115.31 to 120.84)(114.10 to 118.95)(113.83 to 117.95)