Deprivation (im)mobility and cause-specific premature mortality in Scotland

► This research uses a single deprivation measure comparable over time for small areas in Scotland. ► We examine mortality trends for improving, worsening, or relatively stable areas between 1981 and 2001. ► Premature mortality rates increased significantly in persistently deprived areas, affecting 4% of the population. ► Suicide, chronic liver disease and alcohol-related mortality are of particular concern in such areas. ► Public health interventions for these illnesses may benefit from focussing on persistently most deprived areas.