w19 PHE Health Inequalities Flashcards
(18 cards)
What are health inequalities?
Health inequalities are unfair and avoidable differences in health across populations, influenced by social, economic, and environmental factors. These include differences in life expectancy, health conditions, and access to care.
What is the difference between inequality and inequity in health?
Inequality refers to unequal distribution of health outcomes or resources.
Inequity refers to unfair and unjust differences in health outcomes, often driven by social determinants.
What does equity in health mean?
Equity means providing support and opportunities tailored to individuals’ needs to ensure equal health outcomes, whereas equality involves giving everyone the same resources, regardless of need.
What are the main factors contributing to health inequalities in the UK?
Socioeconomic factors (e.g., income, education).
Geography (e.g., urban vs. rural).
Protected characteristics (e.g., sex, ethnicity, disability).
Social exclusion (e.g., homelessness, unemployment).
What is intersectionality in the context of health inequalities?
Intersectionality refers to how multiple social factors (e.g., socioeconomic status, ethnicity, gender) combine and interact, affecting an individual’s health outcomes.
What is the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), and how is it used?
The IMD measures relative deprivation based on factors like income, employment, and education. It classifies areas based on deprivation levels and is used to allocate funding.
What did the Marmot Review (2010) reveal about health inequalities in the UK?
he Marmot Review highlighted that health inequalities were widening, with poorer populations having lower life expectancy and longer periods of ill health. It emphasised the need for proportional action across all segments of society.
How do life expectancy and healthy life expectancy (HLE) reflect health inequalities?
Life expectancy varies significantly between regions, with lower life expectancy in deprived areas. HLE refers to the number of years lived in good health, with large gaps in HLE between different areas and socioeconomic groups.
What is the relationship between long-term health conditions and health inequalities?
People from lower socioeconomic groups are more likely to experience long-term health conditions earlier and may have multiple conditions. They are also less likely to have access to the resources needed to manage these conditions
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected health inequalities in the UK?
COVID-19 exacerbated existing health inequalities, with older adults, ethnic minorities, and those in deprived communities facing higher infection rates, death rates, and mental health impacts.
How does the Marmot Review (10 years on) describe the UK’s progress in tackling health inequalities?
The review found that life expectancy improvements have stalled, particularly for the poorest groups. It calls for more systemic changes to address the root causes of health inequalities.
What are the key factors contributing to inequalities in mental health?
Mental health is more prevalent in deprived communities, with higher rates of suicide and mental illness in social groups such as LGBT individuals and those experiencing social exclusion.
How has social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted older people?
Older adults, especially those living alone, have been disproportionately affected by isolation, leading to functional decline, muscle weakness, and mental health issues due to reduced social interaction and mobility.
Why is it important to address health inequalities in public health initiatives?
Addressing health inequalities is vital for improving population health, reducing social and economic burdens, and ensuring fair access to healthcare and services for all groups, particularly the disadvantaged.
What are some solutions to reduce health inequalities, according to the King’s Fund?
Solutions include a stronger focus on prevention, tackling multiple unhealthy behaviours, targeted support for disadvantaged groups, and ensuring that health inequality spending is part of mainstream public health efforts, not just short-term initiatives.
Which of the following is true regarding the Marmot Review: 10 years on report?
Decreased improvements in life expectancy are explained by severe winters/ flu
England has performed better than most other European countries since 2010 in terms of change to
life expectancy
Health inequalities have widened since 2010
Life expectancy has reduced for all sectors of the population
The amount of time spent in poor health has reduced
Health inequalities have widened since 2010
Which of the following is true regarding the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)?
Domains of the IMD include income, employment and education
In IMD quintiles, category 5 represents the most deprived areas
Life expectancy is the domain with the highest weighting in the IMD
The IMD is able to accurately describe all people living in an area
The IMD is used to classify relative deprivation of large geographical areas
Domains of the IMD include income, employment and education
Describe why the COVID-19 pandemic had a disproportionate effect on older people in the UK [3
marks
The ‘Digital First’ approach [1] may have excluded some older people, making access to healthcare
more difficult
Staying at home for long periods contributed to health problems [1] such as reduced mobility,
muscle weakness and joint pain
Reduced social interaction [1] contributed to cognitive decline
Loneliness is associated with mental health impacts [1] and many older people live alone.
