Levelling Up for health in towns? Development of a new deprivation index: the ‘Stronger Towns Index’ and its association with self-rated health and migration in England, between 2001 and 2011

AIM: To develop the ‘Stronger Towns Index': a deprivation index that took into account characteristics of areas encompassing towns that may be eligible for redevelopment funding and explore how this index was associated with self-rated health and migration within England between 2001 and 2011. SUBJECT AND METHODS: All members of the ONS Longitudinal Study in England aged 16 and over in 2001 whose records included a self-rated health response and a valid local authority code. Local authorities in England were ranked using a composite index developed using the five metrics set out in the Stronger Towns Funding: productivity, income, skills, deprivation measures, and the proportion of people living in towns. The index was split into deciles, and logistic regression carried out on the association between decile and self-rated health in 2001 in the main sample (n = 407,878) and decile change and self-rated health in 2011 in a subsample also present in 2011, with migration information (n = 299,008). RESULTS: There were areas in the lowest deciles of Town Strength who did not receive funding. After multiple adjustment, LS members living in areas with higher deciles were significantly more likely (7% to 38%) to report good health than those in the lowest decile in 2001. Remaining in the same decile between 2001 and 2011 was associated with 7% lower odds of good self-rated health in 2011. CONCLUSION: It is important to consider health in towns when allocating funding. Areas in the Midlands may have missed out on funding which might help mitigate poor health.