Health Inequalities Flashcards
(12 cards)
What are health inequalities?
Health inequalities are unfair and avoidable differences in health across the population and between different groups in society. They can affect life expectancy, health conditions, and healthcare received.
What factors contribute to health inequalities?
Wider determinants of health, environmental factors, lifestyle behaviours, and access to healthcare services.
How does deprivation relate to life expectancy and illness?
People living in more deprived areas experience lower life expectancy and higher levels of diagnosed illness.
How does ethnicity relate to health inequalities during COVID-19?
Bangladeshi and Pakistani men and women had mortality rates 2–3 times higher than White British people. Mortality was also higher for Black Caribbean and mixed ethnicity individuals.
What did COVID-19 reveal about health inequalities?
It highlighted the persistence of health inequalities, raised awareness, and prompted more online healthcare services.
What is the role of pharmacists in reducing health inequalities?
Provide accessible services, ensure information is clear, and improve patients’ health literacy.
What is health literacy?
Health literacy is having the skills, knowledge, understanding, and confidence to access, understand, evaluate, use, and navigate health and social care information and services.
What are the consequences of limited health literacy?
Unhealthy behaviours, increased risk of early death, greater use of emergency services, and poor long-term condition management.
How can pharmacists improve health literacy?
Provide clear information, engage patients in discussions, and educate them on health management.
What is a key way to reduce health inequalities?
Improving health literacy in the community.
From what age do health inequalities become apparent?
From birth.
Give two ways pharmacists can help reduce health inequalities.
1) Provide accessible services tailored to those most in need
2) Improve patients’ health literacy through education and communication
