Health Inequalities Flashcards
Definition of health inequalities
Unfair and avoidable differences in health across the population and between different groups within society
Why is health inequalities quite tricky
Measurement not always straight forward
How is socioeconomic status be measured?
Individuals occupations and the area in which people live
What patterns would you expect to find if we compare the health of people in different socioeconomic positions
Deprivation is strongly associated with ill health
What are theories/explanation for health inequalities?
Artefact, social section, behavioural cultural and materialist
What is the artefact explanation
Health inequalities are evident are due to the way statistics are collected
What is social selection explanation?
Direction of causation is from health to social position
What behavioural cultural explanation?
Ill health is due to people’s choice/decisions, knowledge and goals
What materialist explanation?
Inequalities in health arise form differential access to material resources
What is psychosocial explanation?
This is acts in addition to direct effects of absolute material living standard
What are the first 4 explanation known as?
Artefact, social section, behavioural cultural and materialist
What is income distribution
Relative income affects health, countries with the greater income inequalities have greater health inequalities
How does income distribution occur
Increase in income inequalities
Increase social evaluate threat
Increase in stress
Decrease in health
What do more deprived areas usually use more of?
GP services and emergency services
What do more deprived areas usually use less of
Preventive services and specialise services
