Health inequalities

Question 1

What is health inequality?

Answer 1

Differences in health status that are unnecessary, avoidable, unfair and unjust

Question 2

The Alma Ata Declaration (WHO and UNICEF 1978) established a vision of “Health for All” which implied the importance of what?

Answer 2

1. Not merely focusing on solving medical problems, but also removing obstacles to health in wider society;
2. Not simply providing primary health care services, but advancing a ‘health system model’ that acts on the underlying social, economic and political causes of poor health.

Question 3

The individual blame approach towards the poor health of Māori people is problematic. According to what was discussed in the lecture, what is the MAIN reason why this is problematic?

Answer 3

Because there is a risk of viewing certain races as having inferior behaviours or genetics, which is similar to the attitudes of colonizers.

Question 4

The Social Determinants of Health (SDH) is a health framework that has been adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO). Why is it important to consider the SDH?

Answer 4

The SDH provides an alternative to simply blaming poorer individuals for their bad health.

Question 5

True or False…
The ‘health gradient’ suggests that the higher the social and economic position of a person, the better their health, and the longer they live.

Answer 5

True

Question 6

Of the following, list in order from highest to lowest the forms of fraud in dollar terms?

1. Child support payments unpaid
2. Unpaid property taxes
3. Benefit fraud
4. Tax evasion
5. Unpaid fines & reparation

Answer 6

1. Benefit fraud = $23.4mil per year.
2. Unpaid property taxes = $68mil recovered in past 3 years.
3. Unpaid fines & reparation = $200mil owing.
4. Child support payments unpaid = $2.6bil owing.
5. Tax evasion = $1 to $6 billion est cost to country per year.

Question 7

True or False…

Economic injustice is now the largest threat to health in developed countries.

Answer 7

True