Health Inequalities

Question 1

What is the first factor?

Answer 1

• Smoking is one of the worst lifestyle choices someone could make as it can cause health complications.

Question 2

How can smoking cause health problems?

Answer 2

• It can lead to illnesses such as lung cancer and strokes.
• One-quarter of all deaths in Scotland have links to smoking.
• In some cases, smoking is a choice which a person has made, and it is these choices that have big impacts on money and health.

Question 3

What is an example of smoking?

Answer 3

• For example, smoking-related illnesses cost the NHS in Scotland over £400m per year and there are around 10,000 smoking-related deaths every year in Scotland.
• Even with the smoking ban in public places, which came into effect in 2006, the issue of smoking is still a big problem.
• If those who chose to smoke stopped it would reduce deaths and unnecessary costs for the NHS drastically.

Question 4

Is there clear links between smoking and inequalities?

Answer 4

• However, there are clear links between smoking and inequality and therefore with health inequalities.

Question 5

Are people in deprived areas more likely to smoke? P

Answer 5

• People in deprived areas are more likely to smoke heavily and have a stronger nicotine dependence and therefore find it harder to stop.
• There are many reasons why smoking is more common in deprived areas.

Question 6

What is an example of smoking and deprevation? E

Answer 6

• For example, a child born in a more socially deprived area of Scotland is more likely to grow up around smokers/ be born into a family that smokes.
• A child could then grow up to think that smoking is more acceptable and less dangerous to their health.

Question 7

What is another reason that people in deprived areas smoke? P

Answer 7

• They are more likely to suffer from poor mental health due to worse living conditions, so they use smoking as a coping mechanism and end up with nicotine addictions.

Question 8

What is the analysis for smoking/deprived areas? E/L

Answer 8

• This shows that lifestyle choices cannot be blamed for health inequalities and that it is the other way around for those in deprived areas.

Question 9

What is the overall conclusion for smoking?

Answer 9

• Overall if those who have a better standard of living did not choose to smoke:
• There could be more money to help those in deprived areas with mental health and safer coping mechanisms.

Question 10

What is the second factor for health inequalities?

Answer 10

• Diet and obesity are the main reasons for health inequalities as the costs to the NHS in Scotland and the chances of health complications are so high.

Question 11

Why is a poor diet + obesity factors for Health Inequalities?

Answer 11

• Eating high-sugar and salt diets with a lack of fruit, vegetables and exercise can lead to heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
• The levels of obesity in Scotland are concerning and they are also rising.

Question 12

What are some examples for poor diet + obesity as a factor?

Answer 12

• For example, in 2019, 66% of adults aged 16 and over were overweight, including 29% who were obese.
• Obesity levels are also 3 times higher than they were in 1980.
• According to a Scottish Parliament report in 2015 obesity and weight-related health issues cost the NHS in Scotland over £600m per year.

Question 13

Do people blame the government for high obesity levels, and what have the government done to try and reduce these levels?

Answer 13

• With these concerning figures, many argue that more support is needed from the government.
• The Scottish government have introduced Scotland-wide initiatives to help tackle obesity early on.
• This includes more education on nutrition for children and healthy school meals and exercise.

Question 14

Are these initiaves enough?

Answer 14

• However, the figures show that these initiatives may not be enough.

Question 15

What is the analysis point for poor diet/obesity?

Answer 15

• This shows that lifestyle choices can be to blame as the NHS is having to spend money on those who could have a better diet.
• On the other hand, for many people having a bad diet may be out of their control. Obesity is intrinsically linked to poverty and for many, not a lifestyle choice.

Question 16

What do social class and obesity have in common?

Answer 16

• The lowest social classes have the highest levels of obesity due to a lack of fresh healthy food due to cost.
• For many the lack of money means they are left with no choice but to get a lack of exercise and healthy food.

Question 17

What is the example of social class and obesity have in common?

Answer 17

• For example, in areas of high deprivation, it is often difficult to get access to exercise as gym memberships can be expensive and a lot of people live in built-up areas or in high-rise flats with no gardens.

Question 18

What is the analysis point for obesity and social class?

Answer 18

• This then results in less opportunity for exercise which can lead to health complications.
• This shows again that it is health inequalities that are to blame for the lifestyle choices of many people in deprived areas.

Question 19

What is another factor which comes into play in health inequalities?

Answer 19

• Scotland has always had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.
• Excessive alcohol consumption causes health problems such as high blood pressure, liver disease and cancer.

Question 20

What is the example of alcohol as a factor?

Answer 20

• The Scottish government introduced minimum alcohol pricing in May 2018 to tackle this problem.

Question 21

What is the analysis point for the example of alcohol? (50p)

Answer 21

• This meant that alcohol had to be priced at a minimum of 50p per unit and it was the first country in the world to do so.
• Many would argue that this still did not help those who make poor lifestyle choices

Question 22

What was the second example point for alcohol?

Answer 22

• For example, alcohol-related issues cost the NHS in Scotland an estimated £4b per year and Scotland has the highest alcohol death rate in the UK.

Question 23

What is the second analysis point forthe second example of alcohol?

Answer 23

• This shows that lifestyle choices are to blame for health inequalities as, like other lifestyle choices, the cost to the government and NHS is huge and that money could be better spent on people on the lower end of the health divide.

Question 24

There is a link between alcohol and ….?

Answer 24

• However, like smoking, there is a link between alcohol and poverty.

Question 25

Why is there a link between alcohol and poverty?

Answer 25

• Some deprived areas in Glasgow have an alcohol death rate more than 4 times the UK average. There are many reasons people in deprived areas are more likely to drink.

Question 26

What is the final example for alcohol?

Answer 26

• For example, many people use alcohol as an “escape” from a poor-quality life such as depression, divorce, and unemployment.
• Alcohol can also sometimes not be considered a “lifestyle choice” if a person has an alcohol addiction.

Question 27

What is the final analysis point for alcohol?

Answer 27

• This shows that in the poorest areas, it is health inequalities that can be blamed for poor lifestyle choices.

Question 28

What is the final health inequality cause?

Answer 28

Drugs

Question 29

Does Scotland have a drug problem, and if so is it just in deprived areas?

Answer 29

• Scotland has always had a problem with drugs, especially in areas that are poorer.
• However, drugs can be seen in many places even those that are more affluent but the consequences of taking them are the same

Question 30

What are some examples for drugs?

Answer 30

• For example, Scotland has the worst drug death rate in Europe and heroin is the main factor in 90% of these deaths.
• In 2018 Scotland’s drug death rate was 27 times higher than Portugal’s where many drugs are legal.

Question 31

What is the analysis point for the first example of drugs?

Answer 31

• This shows that whatever support, laws, and government initiatives are not enough.
• Figures have shown that even in affluent areas, drug deaths are rising.
• As a result of this, it is fair to say that health inequalities can be blamed to a small extent on lifestyle choices.

Question 32

Can people be addicted to drugs, which makes it a non-lifestyle choice?

Answer 32

• However, when we talk about lifestyle choices some addicts do not “choose” to take drugs but as addicts, they rely on them.
• This issue is seen mostly in deprived areas.

Question 33

What is the non-lifestyle drug choice example?

Answer 33

• For example, babies born to addicted mothers have a much higher chance of drug use when they are older, perpetuating the cycle of health inequalities to the next generation.

Question 34

What is the final analysis point on drugs?

Answer 34

• This shows that more must be done early on to help support and prevent children of addicts from following the same path.
• This shows that lifestyle choices can be blamed on health inequalities.