Scottish Public Health Observatory quarterly update
Decembr 2024

About this release

This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) provides the Scottish Public Health Observatory (ScotPHO) quarterly update on a number of topic areas. Of these topics, the Allergic Conditions, Epilepsy and Multiple Sclerosis pages contain new data.

Main points

Allergic Conditions

• In 2022/23, 120 people per 100,000 were hospitalised for an allergy-related illness at least once during the year, compared to 113 people per 100,000 in 2021/22.
• Asthma continues to be the most common allergic condition, accounting for 81% of the approximately 6,546 allergy-related hospital admissions in 2022/23.

Epilepsy

• Mortality data show there were 135 deaths due to epilepsy in 2023.
• Over the last 15 years, there has generally been a slight downward trend in new cases of epilepsy, identified using hospital admissions data and death records. In 2023/24, incidence increased to 31.4 admissions per 100,000 in males, while in females, incidence was stable at 22.5 admissions per 100,000.
• Males continue to have a higher incidence of epilepsy than females.

Multiple Sclerosis

• In 2023/24 the incidence rate of multiple sclerosis, estimated using hospital admissions data and death records, was 5.9 people per 100,000 in males and 10.1 people per 100,000 for females.
• The number of deaths due to multiple sclerosis has been on a general upward trend across the last two decades, increasing from 87 deaths in 2003 to 198 deaths in 2023.

The following topics on the ScotPHO website have also been updated as part of the December 2024 quarterly update.

Comparative Health:

• Excess Mortality in Scotland and Glasgow
• Health Inequalities

Health Conditions

• Hepatitis C
• Oral Health
• Screening
• Suicide

Methods and Data:

• Surveys (Cross-sectional and Longitudinal)

Population Dynamics:

• Deaths
• Healthy and Life Expectancy
• Population Estimates and Projections
• Pregnancy, Births and Maternity

Population Groups:

• Disability
• Ethnic Minorities
• Older People

Risk factors:

• Drugs
• Gambling
• Multiple Risk Factors
• Sexual Health

Wider Determinants:

• Deprivation
• Homelessness
• Social Environment

Background

The Scottish Public Health Observatory collaboration is led by PHS and includes the Glasgow Centre for Population Health, National Records of Scotland, the Medical Research Council/Chief Scientist Office Social and Public Health Sciences Unit and the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory. The aim of the collaboration is to make public health information more accessible, to promote the reduction in inequalities and to inform health improvement in Scotland.

Further information

Data from this publication are available from the publication page of the ScotPHO website. 

The next release of these statistics will be 25 March 2025.