L22 Inequalities and inequities in population health Flashcards
What is an inequality?
Measurable differences or variations in health
What is an inequity?
Health inequities are differences in the distribution of resource/services across populations which do not reflect health needs
Unfair or stemming from injustice
What does PROGRESS stand for?
PROGRESS is an acronym containing elements of inequity
Place of residence Race/ethnicity/culture/language Occupation Gender/sex Religion Education Socioeconomic status Social capital
+ disability
What are measures of effect
Relative risk and Relative difference
Why reduce inequities?
They are unfair
They are avoidable
They affect everybody
Reducing inequities can be cost effective
Why do inequities in health arise?
Inequities in health outcomes result from inequities in opportunities
How do you approach explaining why inequity in health outcomes occur?
Look for the causes of the causes
How do you draw a Lorenz curve?
- Order the population from lowest to highest
a. what % of wealth is owned by the poorest 10%
b. what % of wealth is owned by the poorest 20% - Draw line of absolute equality
- Draw line based on available data
a. this will be concave - The more concave, the greater the income inequality in a population
What is the Gini coefficient?
Ratio of the area between the line of perfect equality and the observed lorenz curve to the area between the line of perfect equality and the line of perfect inequality
What is gini?
Gini = (A) / (A + B)
0 = very equal society 1 = very unequal soceity
What does income inequity lead to?
An unequal society Less social cohesion Less trust between groups Increased stress Reduced economic productivity Poorer health outcomes
