1. Home
  2. Your community
  3. Statistics and census information for Dorset
  4. Dorset Insights
  5. Topics
  6. Health and Wellbeing

Health and Wellbeing Topic Data

Back to all topics

Dorset residents are generally healthy, have a high life satisfaction rating and feel that the things they do in their lives are worthwhile. The growing number of older people will increase demand for health and social care services, so it is important to use local evidence to anticipate need and target service provision as effectively as possible.

Health and wellbeing can be influenced by where we live, our behaviours, our work and our leisure activities. Health behaviours impact on both physical and mental health - and many people may be affected by more than one. Healthy populations live longer, and are more productive making a contribution to the economy as well as maintaining personal wellbeing.

Download this report (PDF)

Health

  • Healthy life expectancy is the number of years a person would be expected to live in good health. In Dorset, there is a difference of 16 years between healthy life expectancy and overall life expectancy for males and 19 years for females 1.
  • 65% of adults in Dorset are classified as overweight or obese; worse than the national average (64%) and a great concern due to the life-threatening conditions it can lead to2.
  • Residents in Dorset are more likely to be unpaid carers: 10% of residents compared to 9% in England13. There are now around 35,500 unpaid carers in Dorset13.
  • Smoking prevalence continues to fall both nationally and locally. 10% of adults in Dorset currently smoke compared to 12% in England2.
  • 162 people were killed or seriously injured on Dorset's roads in 2023, possibly due to Dorset’s high proportion of rural roads4. Nationally more than half of all fatal collisions occur on rural roads3.
% year six children who are overweight or obese
% year six children who are overweight

Mental health

  • By 2035, we expect to see almost 12,000 people aged 65 or over living with dementia in Dorset5. It is estimated one million unpaid carers nationally provide care to people with dementia6.
  • National rates of probable mental health conditions have stabilised, affecting roughly 20% of children7.
  • A similar stabilising picture has been seen in national armed forces personnel, with 1 in 8 being seen in military healthcare for a mental health related reason8.
  • In 2022-3, almost 5 million people were receiving talking therapies or secondary mental health services9.
People aged 65+ with dementia
People aged 65+ with dementia

Substance abuse

  • In Dorset, admission rates for alcohol related harm for under 18s were almost double the national average, at 45.4 per 100,000, compared to 26 per 100,00010.
  • Nationally every £1 invested in adult drug treatment services generates a social return of £4.11.
  • Just under 4,000 domestic abuse incidents were reported in Dorset last year12.

Improving outcomes

  • Social determinants are a diverse range of social, economic and environmental factors which impact on people’s health and strongly link with disparities in health outcomes, being widely considered as the ‘causes of the causes’.
  • Since 2015, LiveWell Dorset has been supporting residents to improve their health and wellbeing through targeted activity, weight, alcohol and smoking support13. For every £1 spent through the service, a public return of £12 was generated in prevented ill health.13
  • Fewer children accessing Free School Meals (FSM) achieved a good level of development at the end of Reception in Dorset than nationally14 And a much lower proportion of children (20% less) received a standard pass or higher in GCSE English or Maths than those not on Free School Meals. This highlights the disparity of educational attainment between pupils from lower income backgrounds and other pupils
  • Every school in the country receives a financial premium based on each child who is eligible for FSM, nationally it is thought that a significant proportion of families whose children are eligible do not claim, meaning schools miss out on funding that could help those schools fund support to improve outcomes for disadvantaged children.

Headline Figures

12,000

Dorset residents likely to be living with dementia by 2035

3,965

Domestic abuse incidents in Dorset last year

16 years

Difference between male healthy and overall life expectancy

32%

Dorset year 6 children overweight or obese

65%

Dorset adults overweight or obese

10%

Smoking prevalence in Dorset

Headline Figures

12,000

Dorset residents likely to be living with dementia by 2035

3,965

Domestic abuse incidents in Dorset last year

16 years

Difference between male healthy and overall life expectancy

32%

Dorset year 6 children overweight or obese

65%

Dorset adults overweight or obese

10%

Smoking prevalence in Dorset

Sources

  • 1 Health state life expectancy at birth by local areas, Public Health Fingertips 2024 and ONS 2004
  • 2 Public Health Fingertips 2023 (3 year range)
  • 3 2021 Census, TS039
  • 4 Road casualty statistics, Dorset Council 2023
  • 5 POPPI 2024
  • 6 2023 Dementia Carers Count
  • 7 Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2023 - wave 4 follow-up to the 2017 survey, NHS Digital
  • 8 UK armed forces mental health annual statistics: financial year 2023/24, Gov.UK
  • 9 Mental health statistics: prevalence, services and funding in England, UK Parliament, 2024
  • 10 Hospital admissions episodes for alcohol specific conditions, under 18s, Public Health Fingertips, 2021-2023
  • 11 Alcohol and drugs prevention, treatment and recovery: why invest?, Public Health England, 12/02/18
  • 12 Domestic abuse in Dorset Council – Dorset Police 2023/24
  • 13 Director of Public Health Report 2022/23
  • 14 Dorset Council, Children’s Services 2023/24

34 Reports

Order by: Newest first

14 Related Datasets

Order by: Newest first

  • Births Deaths and Natural Change by Country and Local Authority

    Published: 08 December 2020

    Local Authority births, deaths and natural change from Mid-Years 2002 to 2019

    Downloads: 913

    Download (Excel)

  • Data for EqIAs (diversity data)

    Published: 14 November 2020

    Various diversity data for Dorset with national comparators. For assistance in completing Equality Impact Assessments (EqIAs).

    Downloads: 963

    Download (Excel)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019- National and Dorset Council Ranks

    Published: 03 January 2020

    The English Indices of Deprivation helps identify and prioritise areas to assist the government and other agencies both national and local in narrowing the gap between deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of the country.

    Downloads: 2051

    Download (Excel)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019 - Dorset East Sub Unitary Geography (SUG) Maps

    Published: 11 December 2019

    This pdf illustrates national deprivation levels at a small geography across Dorset East SUG area for 2019. There are sixteen maps which look at a range of components of deprivation including health, income, employment, education and skills, living environment, crime and barriers to housing and services. There is also a multiple deprivation map that combines all these aspects of deprivation to give us an overall picture. The document also has a number of maps that look at specific aspects (sub domains) such as deprivation affecting children and outdoor living environment.

    Downloads: 1593

    Download (PDF)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019 - Dorset West Sub Unitary Geography (SUG) Maps

    Published: 11 December 2019

    This pdf illustrates national deprivation levels at a small geography across Dorset West SUG area for 2019. There are sixteen maps which look at a range of components of deprivation including health, income, employment, education and skills, living environment, crime and barriers to housing and services. There is also a multiple deprivation map that combines all these aspects of deprivation to give us an overall picture. The document also has a number of maps that look at specific aspects (sub domains) such as deprivation affecting children and outdoor living environment.

    Downloads: 2152

    Download (PDF)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019 - Mid Dorset Sub Unitary Geography (SUG) Maps

    Published: 11 December 2019

    This pdf illustrates national deprivation levels at a small geography across Mid Dorset SUG area for 2019. There are sixteen maps which look at a range of components of deprivation including health, income, employment, education and skills, living environment, crime and barriers to housing and services. There is also a multiple deprivation map that combines all these aspects of deprivation to give us an overall picture. The document also has a number of maps that look at specific aspects (sub domains) such as deprivation affecting children and outdoor living environment.

    Downloads: 1772

    Download (PDF)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019 - South East Dorset Sub Unitary Geography (SUG) Maps

    Published: 11 December 2019

    This pdf illustrates national deprivation levels at a small geography across South East Dorset SUG area for 2019. There are sixteen maps which look at a range of components of deprivation including health, income, employment, education and skills, living environment, crime and barriers to housing and services. There is also a multiple deprivation map that combines all these aspects of deprivation to give us an overall picture. The document also has a number of maps that look at specific aspects (sub domains) such as deprivation affecting children and outdoor living environment.

    Downloads: 2211

    Download (PDF)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019 - Dorset North Sub Unitary Geography (SUG) Maps

    Published: 11 December 2019

    This pdf illustrates national deprivation levels at a small geography across Dorset North SUG area for 2019. There are sixteen maps which look at a range of components of deprivation including health, income, employment, education and skills, living environment, crime and barriers to housing and services. There is also a multiple deprivation map that combines all these aspects of deprivation to give us an overall picture. The document also has a number of maps that look at specific aspects (sub domains) such as deprivation affecting children and outdoor living environment.

    Downloads: 1907

    Download (PDF)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019 - Dorset South Sub Unitary Geography (SUG) Maps

    Published: 11 December 2019

    This pdf illustrates national deprivation levels at a small geography across Dorset South SUG area for 2019. There are sixteen maps which look at a range of components of deprivation including health, income, employment, education and skills, living environment, crime and barriers to housing and services. There is also a multiple deprivation map that combines all these aspects of deprivation to give us an overall picture. The document also has a number of maps that look at specific aspects (sub domains) such as deprivation affecting children and outdoor living environment.

    Downloads: 1463

    Download (PDF)

  • Indices of Deprivation 2019 - Dorset Council Maps

    Published: 25 November 2019

    The combined map base pdf illustrates national deprivation levels at a small geography across Dorset for 2019. There are sixteen maps which look at a range of components of deprivation including health, income, employment, education and skills, living environment, crime and barriers to housing and services. There is also a multiple deprivation (IMD) map that combines all these aspects of deprivation to give us an overall picture for Dorset. The document also has a number of maps that look at specific aspects (sub domains) such as deprivation affecting children and outdoor living environment.

    Downloads: 1200

    Download (PDF)

  • Local Area Interactive Tool

    Published: 28 February 2016

    An interactive spreadsheet for comparing data about children and young people across all local authorities in England. (external website)

    Downloads: 3220

    Download (Website)

  • Public Health Outcomes

    Published: 28 February 2016

    Find out about differences in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy between communities. (external website)

    Downloads: 2040

    Download (Website)

  • POPPI: Projecting Older People Information

    Published: 28 July 2014

    A population based database providing information on older people (external website)

    Downloads: 6592

    Download (Website)

  • PANSI: Projecting Adult Needs and Service Information

    Published: 28 July 2014

    A population based database providing information on adults with special needs (external website)

    Downloads: 2482

    Download (Website)

1 Related Dashboards

Explore other topics