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Gibraltar Women Health Information
– Reported, January 20, 2012
The Health of the people of Gibraltar is generally good and in keeping with that of other western European nations.
The civilian population of Gibraltar has grown steadily in the last decade. Most of the growth has been in the Gibraltarian population, with a small decline in the Non-British population. According to the Government Statistics Office, the estimated end-year population on 31 December 2007 was 29,257, representing an increase of 6.4% since the last Census (2001).
Birth rates are relatively high, with around 350 – 400 babies being born each year and the mean birth rate for the last ten years being 12.6. The gender ratios are close to 1:1, but tend to see-saw slightly from year to year. The majority of births take place in St. Bernard’s Hospital, with the balance – around 8% of all births, taking place in the Forces population. The number of still births is small, at 1 or 2 per year. Less than 5% of babies born weigh below 2500g.
The number of teenage mothers each year, around 22, has hardly changed in recent years. At the other end of the spectrum, there appears to be a trend towards more older women having babies. The youngest mother ever recorded in the last ten years was 14 and the oldest 51.
Longevity in Gibraltar is generally good with the Census 2001 estimates showing life expectancies of 78.5 years (men) and 83.3 years (women).
The death rate in Gibraltar has progressively declined in recent years, with around 200 to 220 deaths recorded on average in a year, representing crude death rates of around 7.0 to 8.0. Death in children and young persons is uncommon, with 21 persons under 35 years having died in the last ten years. More than 85% of all deaths occur in persons over 65 years.
Heart disease and Cancers each account for a quarter of all deaths. Lung Cancer is the most frequent cause of death from cancer in men, followed by Breast cancer in women. The most significant contributory cause of lung cancer is tobacco smoking. About 15% of deaths occur in persons with diabetes.
A child immunisation programme against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, pneumococcus and meningococcal disease (type C) is provided free of charge and uptakes are well over 95%. Selective vaccination programmes against Human Papilloma virus, Hepatitis B and Pneumococcal disease are also available. Gibraltar is rabies free and strict controls maintain this status.
There is a usual pattern of increases of food-borne infections (principally salmonella and campylobacter) during the summer months and similar increases of respiratory infections (mostly rotavirus and flu-like illness) during the winter months. The upward trend over the years in hospital acquired infection due to multi resistant staphylococcus aureus in Gibraltar, as it is throughout the western world, is a matter for some concern. Diseases of social importance such as tuberculosis are uncommon.
Nutritional imbalance tends to be of the western affluent type, predominantly of overnutrition. Again, in common with other European countries, childhood obesity is a matter requiring increasing attention.
Smoking reduction initiatives include health education, public policy reforms and smoking cessation support services. A Breast Cancer Screening programme is about to be introduced.
