The Carstairs derivation index was originally calculated using 1981 census data and is another measure of relative deprivation. Like the Townsend score, it is based on four variables which represent material disadvantage. Similarly, it is calculated at the output area level.
The four variables are:
Male unemployment (as a percentage of poland rcs data economically active males aged 16 to 74 seeking or waiting to start work)
Overcrowded households (as a percentage of all households)
Non-ownership of car or van (as a percentage of all households)
Low social class (social class IV Partly skilled occupations and V Unskilled occupations)
Social Class based on Occupation has since been superseded by the National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC).
As with the IMD/Indices of Deprivation and the Townsend scores, the Carstairs index can only demonstrate relative measures of deprivation.
Q-step interns Rabia and Clara who joined our team in summer 2018 documented some of their process in recalculating the Carstairs scores using 2011 Census data.