Explaining Health Inequalities Flashcards
Name the five explanations for well-being inequalities.
Life course/programming Behavioural Material Social/Community Environmental
What is the life course explanation?
Poor health is path-dependent. Also known as ‘blame the mum’ approach; the family and environment you’re born into will dictate your future.
What is the behavioural explanation?
Poor health is due to individual choices. Also known as ‘blame the victim’. Your diet and choices to do with alcohol and smoking are examples of the behavioural explanation.
What is the material deprivation explanation?
Living in poor areas can lead to poor health. Examples to influence this are:
- High density housing
- Poor Quality Housing
- Damp Housing
What is the environmental explanation?
Health is a product of Geography. Example of this is Nova Scotia, Canada where the de-industrialised polluted landscape which the locals live in can damage health outcomes.
How can material deprivation be measured?
Townsend score, which looks at:
- % Unemployed
- % Non -Home owners
- % from overcrowded homes
What is the date and authors of the health resilience study in Northumbria?
Cairns & Bambra, 2013
What three factors were found to influence health resilience in Northumbria?
Place attachment
Social Capital
Natural Environment
What is meant by place-attachment?
‘An effective bond between people and specific places.’
Allows individuals to develop a strong sense of belonging
What is meant by social capital?
The idea of civil engagement and participation, identity, solidarity and a sense of mutual obligation between others.
What is meant by natural environment and health?
The therapeutic element of being around nature, tied in with the sense of belonging and place attachment.
'’Why Reduce Health Inequalities’’ was written by whom?
Woodward et al, (2000)
What is an example of unfairness and health inequalities?
'’If all men aged 20-64 had the same mortality rates as those in the top two classes in the UK, there would be 17,000 fewer deaths each year’’
How can inequalities affect everyone?
Ill health transcends socio-economic boundaries. Historically, in the 19th century the rich knew their health was at risk unless the poor were not treated for diseases such as tuberculosis and cholera.
What evidence is there that health inequalities are largely avoidable?
Denmark and Norway are examples of countries with expanding economies without having widening inequalities.
