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6.1. Overview
The West Wales region covers three LA areas - Carmarthenshire; Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire - and is coterminous with the Hywel Dda University Health Board (HDUHB) footprint. Estimated population of the region is 384,000 (Hywel Dda University health Board, 2016). Covering a quarter of the landmass of Wales, it is the second most sparsely populated health board area in Wales. 47.9 per cent of the population in the region live in Carmarthenshire, 20.7 per cent in Ceredigion and 31.4 per cent in Pembrokeshire.
Current population projections suggest that the total population of West Wales will rise to 425,400 by 2033, with a rise in those aged over 65 years from 88,200 in 2013 to 127,700 by 2033. These estimates are based on assumptions about births, deaths and migration. The increase in the number of older people is likely to cause a rise in chronic conditions such as circulatory and respiratory diseases and cancers. Meeting the needs of these individuals will be a key challenge for the UHB. In the current economic climate, the relative (and absolute) increase in economically dependent and in some cases, care-dependent populations will pose particular challenges to communities
Figure 6:1 Projected population counts by age group, Hywel Dda UHB, 2013-2036
Source: Hywel Dda University Health Board
With 12.4% of Wales’ population the area’s age and sex profile is similar to that of Wales as a whole.
The following Figure provides detail of how the West Wales region compares to the rest of Wales in relation to the age and sex distribution of its population. It shows how in West Wales the age composition of the population is higher than in Wales generally with fewer people aged between 25 and 44 and more people aged 55 and over.
West Wales Population Assessment March 2017 West Wales population profile