Parameters measured:
(1) overcrowding
(2) male unemployment\
(3) low social class
(4) no car
Definitions:
(1) overcrowding: Proportion of households with people living at a density > 1 person per room.
(2) male unemployment: Proportion of economically active males who are out of work and seeking employment.
(3) low social class: Proportion of all households with the head of the household in social class 4 or 5.
(4) no car: Proportion of all person in private households with no car.
Z-score =
= ((region value) - (mean for all regions)) / (standard deviation for all regions)
deprivation score =
= SUM(Z score for each parameter)
The score can be modified to include different economic measures.
Interpretation:
• A positive deprivation score indicates a region with economic hardship relative to the average of all regions in the country.
• A negative deprivation score indicates relative affluence.
• A Z-score from –1 to +1 covers the mid 70% of a Gaussian distribution. A value < -1 would cover the top 15% and a value > 1 would indicate the lower 15%.
Limitations:
• Offsetting Z-scores would give a deprivation score close to 0, which might mask deprivation.
• Having more than 1 person per room and no car would not necessarily infer deprivation in a Third World country.
• A non-Gaussian distribution would require a different method.
