Is living on the coast associated with midlife multimorbidity in England and Wales? A cross-birth cohort…

Cohort studyBMJ public health· 2026

Is living on the coast associated with midlife multimorbidity in England and Wales? A cross-birth cohort analysis of the relationship between long-term residence and selective migration.

Stephen Jivraj, Zongpu Yue, Avril Keating, Emily Murray

Multimorbidity & PolypharmacyCohort study

Coastal residence in midlife linked to higher odds of multimorbidity in earlier-born cohort.

Is living on the coast associated with midlife multimorbidity in England and Wales? A cross-birth cohort analysis of the relationship between long-term residence and selective migration.

Stephen Jivraj … Emily Murray

BMJ public health · 2026

Background

The 2021 Chief Medical Officer's report highlighted that coastal communities have some of the worst health outcomes in England.

Purpose

This paper investigates the relationship between coastal residence and multimorbidity and assesses the role of selective migration and socioeconomic deprivation from adolescence to midlife in shaping health outcomes in coastal communities.

Methods

Longitudinal cohort study data are used from the 1958 National Child Development Study (National Child Development Study) and the 1970 British Cohort Study (British Cohort Study).

n = 13 691 respondents from NCDS and 14

Results

Odds ratio: living on the coast in midlife was tied to higher odds of multimorbidity.

OR 1.21 (95% CI 1 to 1.28)

CI crosses the null - not significant

More results

Individuals who moved away from coastal areas between adolescence and midlife were significantly (p<0.05) less likely to report multimorbidity than those who moved to coastal areas.

More results

Neighbourhood deprivation was strongly associated with migration patterns, with those remaining in or moving to coastal areas significantly (p<0.05) more likely to live in deprived neighbourhoods at midlife.

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Conclusion · 1 of 2

Coastal communities in England and Wales are experiencing a concentration of health disadvantage that is associated with socioeconomic deprivation and patterns of selective migration.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

These findings have important implications for public health policy and resource allocation in coastal regions.

Is living on the coast associated with midlife multimorbidity in England and Wales? A cross-birth cohort analysis of the relationship between long-term residence and selective migration.

Is living on the coast associated with midlife multimorbidity in England and Wales? A cross-birth cohort analysis of the relationship between long-term residence and selective migration.

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