Patients stay in hospital half as long as they did in the 1970s

AVERAGE hospital stays have halved since the early 1970s, new research shows.

In 1973 the average stay of patients was almost 15 days, compared to just over seven days in 2002.

Stays for surgical procedures have also decreased by 50% - in 1973 the average stay was just over 10 days, reducing to just over five days in 2002.

While the death rate from circulatory diseases has fallen over the past two decades, cancer deaths have seen no decline.

The major report on the current health status of people living in the north east found that circulatory disease was responsible for almost 40% of deaths in 2002, a reduction from 45% in 1997.

Since the establishment of the health boards in 1971 the population of the north eastern region has grown by 40% to almost 350,000 with most of the growth occurring in Meath and Louth.

There is a population bulge in the 20 to 59 age group and Louth has the highest population density.

In 2002 over half of people living in the region felt their health was excellent or very good.

Almost a quarter of residents smoked in 2002 while just under three quarters of the population drank alcohol, both were slightly below the national average.