Making old bones

The facts are startling.

If you are lucky enough to live in Radlett, you are likely to live beyond the national average life expectancy of 80 years.

But if you live just four miles down the road in Borehamwood, your chances are greatly diminished.

The odds on Elstree and Shenley residents reaching 80 are also not that good.

While Hertsmere is considered to be a relatively affluent area with low unemployment, good levels of education and a low crime rate, there are a number of localised pockets of deprivation across the borough.

A national Government study in 2004 showed that part of Borehamwood Cowley Hill ward was in the top 25 per cent of the most deprived areas in the country, and in the top ten per cent of the most deprived areas in the Eastern region.

And in a life expectancy survey, carried out by the Eastern Region Public Health Observatory, residents in Borehamwood Hillside came out worst in all of Hertsmere.

Joel Bonnet, director of public health for Hertsmere Primary Care Trust, says that smoking is the single biggest killer in the borough and the biggest factor behind the survey's findings.

Smoking affects the mortality rate of residents in Borehamwood Hillside more than twice as much as those in Aldenham West, which covers parts of Radlett, Aldenham and Letchmore Heath.

Mr Bonnet said: "At least half the factors which this survey was based on were due to smoking.

"The greatest thing that's happened recently in terms of public health is the smoking ban in all public places which comes into affect next summer."

Other factors which the survey drew upon include gender, lifestyle factors such as drinking alcohol and unhealthy eating, social class, living and working conditions and general socio-economic and environmental conditions.

Dr Bonnet said: "People know how to lead healthier lifestyles such as taking regular exercise and not smoking, but at times you wonder if people really do understand.

"If you go to an average supermarket and see the sorts of things that people buy, it's amazing.

"But if they know things are bad for them, why do they buy them?"

The percentage of people who describe their health as good varies from 65 per cent in Borehamwood Cowley Hill ward to more than 80 per cent in Aldenham East, which covers Aldenham and Radlett.

Nearly one in five people in Borehamwood's Cowley Hill ward state they have a long illness or health problem which limits daily activities or work, compared to less than one in ten people in Aldenham East.

Dr Bonnet said: "The figures do seem shocking as the areas with such stark contrast are on each other's doorsteps but you'd find that anywhere.

"The reason it's so different is because of the social make-up of the people living in each ward. Generally, life expectancy is linked to social classes.

"Although money is a factor, it doesn't necessarily have to dictate how healthy you are or how long you live. It costs nothing to stop smoking, drinking and take regular exercise.

"People know how to be healthier, it's just a case of actually doing it. We all know in this day and age that smoking is the biggest self-inflicted killer and it's never to late to stop."

Ward councillor for Borehamwood Cowley Hill, Peter Hedges, believes that money is the key to a healthier lifestyle. He says that people living in parts of his ward simply do not have the means to improve their lifestyle and, so in turn, their life expectancy.

"At the end of the day, it does boil down to money," he said.

"People living in parts of the area like Cowley Hill and Kenilworth work in underpaid jobs often for long hours and life is harder for them to make ends meet. Of course people are needing to work longer hours to make more money which affects their health.

"Wages have stayed the same but the cost of living has gone up. It's tough for these people.

"It's very easy for people to just say, stop smoking and drinking but this can also cost money. They need more incentives to stop such as free patches etc. As for exercise, unless they want to walk around the streets, gyms and health centres cost money, which some people just don't have.

"It's a catch 22 situation."

Neil Payne, leader of Hertsmere Borough Council, and councillor for Aldenham West, agrees that it is for the individual to try to improve these figures, with the help of local organisations.

The 15-year aim of Local Strategic Partnership, Hertsmere Together, is to improve the quality of life in the whole borough through better partnership working across the public, private, voluntary and community sectors.

Mr Payne said: "I agree with Joel Bonnet in that if you smoke and drink heavily, you won't live as long and people know that. They can help themselves by stopping. You don't have to be earning a lot of money to go walking in the countryside.

"I admit, there are pockets in the borough which are terribly deprived and need a lot of work, and the agencies need to work on improving those parts.

"Down-trodden housing needs redevelopment, which will hopefully contribute to bringing down crime and it will be a whole host of contributing factors that will help to improve the standard of living.

"But people can also do a lot to help themselves and it's up to the individual to make a difference. We can help but we can only do so much."