Changing places? A comparative analysis of area-based health trends in Scotland through the 1980s and 1990s

This study confirmed the enduring nature of health differences between areas in Scotland, and provided further evidence of widening health inequalities between affluent and deprived areas. The positive experiences of a small number of areas may warrant further investigation since they may hold important lessons for area-based health improvement. The research highlights the potential of this type of analysis to monitor and evaluate area-based initiatives.