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New online snapshot of health

15 September 2010

At-a-glance health information has been published online today, showing that the Devon and Cornwall area has low levels of many health infections.


The information can be found in the new Health Protection Profiles, which look at 19 health categories or “indicators”, and compares your local area with others that are similar (based on key characteristics) and the national average. They can be found at: www.hpa.org.uk/healthprotectionprofiles

The profiles cover infections such as measles, TB, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), vaccine uptake for jabs such as MMR, HPV and seasonal influenza, food poisoning notifications and environmental hazards, such as high radon gas levels in homes.
People using the profiles can see whether their local area has a good uptake of the MMR vaccine, a high percentage of establishments compliant with food safety, or low levels of tuberculosis.
For the Devon and Cornwall area there are a number of positive messages.

  • A low incidence of HIV and TB in both Devon and Cornwall
  • Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly had the third lowest rate of hospital admissions due to asthma in the country
  • In 2007 Plymouth was among the highest areas in the country in 2008/09 with regards to the uptake of the first    and second dose of the MMR vaccine by five years of age
  • The rate of measles in Torbay was among the lowest in the country for 2006/08.
  • In contrast, Cornwall had the highest percentage of homes in the country that were above the radon action level in 2007.

Although the data itself has been published before, this interactive and user-friendly format is new and highly visual having been designed and developed following repeated road testing and discussions with members of the public.

Brian Guttridge, Unit Director for South West Peninsula HPA, said: “This type of health data are critically important, but often in the past it’s not been easy for the public to find, understand and compare local areas. These new profiles signal a change in how we present this information, allowing people to become more aware of local health issues, understand their context a little more and know where to go to find out more.

Many people know of the risks to health and the steps that they can take to help protect themselves such as vaccinations and safe sex but these profiles help show these risks and protective measures in a new light, giving people a greater understanding of how these risks may affect them and what they can do about them”.

Last reviewed: 1 October 2010