Inequalities and Inequities in Health Flashcards
What is the most basic way of measuring difference in health care?
Life expectancy and mortality is the most basic way of measuring this. Self-reporting general health in the census.
What is the national statistics socio-economic classification?
The national statistics socio-economic classification (NS-SEC) is calculated from census data. By asking a few questions occupation – about job title, previous work, sector and responsibilities it groups people into 7 categories.
What is the index of Multiple deprivation?
Index of multiple Deprivation – we can measure deprivation based on geographical residential area. Again measured by census using income, employment, health and disability, education skills and training, barriers to housing and services, living environment and crime.
What are the 6 explanations for health inequalities according to the black report?
- Artefact – they are only there due to the way the evidence is collected – widely discredited as an explation
- Social Selection – it is poor health that causes social position not the other way round. Plausible but probably only minor contribution
- Behavioural culture – Ill health is due to poor decision making as people in low socio econcomic groups are more likely to make poor health behaviour decisions. Limitations – behaviours may be due to the class and they may not always be choices but in fact only option available
- Materialist – differnetial access to resources, lack of choice in exposure to hazards – most plausible explanation
- Psychosocial – psychosocial pathways act in addition to direct effects of absolute material living standards
- Income distribution – relative income of countried affects health but not average income in wealthy countries. The larger the income gap between rich and poor the worse a countries health is – probalby related to psychosocial aspect.
How does access to health care cause inequalities in health?
Utilisation of care is another aspect – some people can’t actually access care or don’t know how.
What’s the difference between inequality and inequity?
Inequality – when things are different or not equal. Inequity is when these inequalities are unfair and avoidable. It’s very hard to measure this as we can’t work out who would like to access a health service but can’t.
How does use of emergency care and screening programs change according to socioeconomic status? Why does this occur?
More deprived areas have higher rates ofuse of GP services and emergency services but an under use of preventetive services (screening) and specialist services (CABG).
People in in deprived areas tend to manage health as and when rather than look forward at the consequence of their actions. Normalisation of ill health within deprived communities. Difficulty to marshal the resources to get access to health care.
What inequalities are there between men and women?
Men have higher mortality rates, suicide rates and violent death whilst women have a higher life expectancy. Higher reported poor mental health and higher rates of disbility and limiting longstanding illness.
How does culture result in health inequalities?
When people have a different way of living and doing things this could increase exposure to certain risks or protective factors.
Also genetic factors play a part changing they types of diseases you’re susceptible to.
