Healthcare Inequalities Flashcards
Define health inequality.
Preventable and unjust differences in health status across the population and between specific population groups.
List 2 characteristics of health inequalities.
1 - They are avoidable, so don’t occur randomly or by chance.
2 - They are socially determined, so the circumstances are often beyond the control of the individual.
List 8 wide determinants of health.
1 - Agriculture and food production.
2 - Education.
3 - Work environment.
4 - Living and working conditions.
5 - Unemployment.
6 - Water and sanitation.
7 - Healthcare services.
8 - Housing.
List 7 possible reasons for the association between health and deprivation.
1 - Social selection.
2 - Behavioural factors.
3 - Psychosocial factors.
4 - Material deprivation.
5 - Genetics.
6 - Artefacts of measurement.
7 - Poor access to care.
Define social selection.
The differential action of social conditions on the longevity and reproductive rates of individuals in the population.
List 6 factors relating to the individual that impact on a person’s decision to access healthcare.
1 - Age.
2 - Sex.
3 - Ethnicity.
4 - Socioeconomic status.
5 - Previous healthcare experience.
6 - Nature and duration of symptoms.
List 4 factors relating to accessibility that impact on a person’s decision to access healthcare.
1 - Cost.
2 - Convenience.
3 - Attitude of staff.
4 - Geographical location.
What is the inverse care law?
The idea that the availability of good medical care tends to vary inversely with the need for it.
What is the difference between equity and equality?
- Equity is fairness, whereas equality is uniformity.
- Equity recognises that people have different needs, whereas equality distributes the same care regardless of need.
List 4 practices that can reduce inequality and inequity in healthcare.
1 - Producing and following guidelines.
2 - Setting targets.
3 - Public health interventions.
4 - Regulatory bodies.
List 4 examples of targets set to reduce inequality and inequity in healthcare.
1 - 4 hour target in A&E.
2 - Targets set for cancer referral rates.
3 - Programmes to bring down waiting time for operations.
4 - Targets for more frequent access to counselling.
List the levels of public health interventions according to Campbell (2010).
1 - People.
2 - Lifestyle.
3 - Community.
4 - Local economy.
5 - Activities.
6 - Built environment.
7 - Natural environment.
8 - Global ecosystem.
List 4 regulators of healthcare.
1 - Care Quality Commission.
2 - NHS Improvement.
3 - NICE Quality Standards.
4 - Public Health Outcomes Framework.
