Lecture 22: Inequalities/inequities in Poplthlth Flashcards
What is the difference between inequalities and inequities
INEQUALITIES are measurable differences in health experience and outcomes between different popuation groups
Whereas:
INEQUITIES: inequalities that stem from injustice: differences in the distribution of resources that do not reflect health needs.
What are the measures of association for inequality. They have no association when EGO and CGO are the same
Absolute inequality: RD
Relative inequality: RR
What are the four arguments for reducing health inequities
They are:
- unfair
- avoidable
- they affect everybody
- Reducing inequities can be cost effective
What does it mean by inequities are unfair
People have little control over the socioeconomic factors that are detrimental to their health and reducing those factors will improve an individual’s choices and capability to succeed in life
What does it mean by inequities are avoidable
They are reducible : the variation over region and time proves this.
They stem from government policy options therefore amenable to policy interventions.
These are the parts that aren’t biologically determined.
What does it mean by inequities affect everyone
Inequities have flow on effects into wider society, affecting economic productivity and escalating crime, violence, CDs and substance abuse.
What does it mean by reducing inequities has economic benefits
It enables the workforce to be healthy + highly skilled and reduces expenditure on treatment interventions. Reallocation of resources to target socioeconomic disparities results in lower costs, more efficient and greater marginal benefits.
What does PROGRESS stand for
P: place of residence R: race/ethnicity/culture/ language O: Occupation G: Gender/sex R: religion E: education S: SES S: social capital
What is PROGRESS used for in pophlth:
Equity for WHOM?
Progress questions and moderates the way we measure population health targets by singling out factors that relate to health outcomes:
How is income inequality measured
Lorenz curve that plots cumulative share of population on x axis against % cumulative share of wealth
how do you plot a lorenz curve
- Order the population from lowest to highest income.
- What % of the wealth is owned by the poorest 10% pop
- What % of wealth is owned by the poorest 20% - Draw a line of absolute equality (45 degrees)
- Draw line based on available data: concave
- The more concave= greater income inequality
What is the line of absolute equality represent
This is perfectly equal income distribution= each person has 1%.
How do you calculate it the Gini coefficient and
Calculated by (area between the line of perfect equality and observed lorenz curve) / out of (the area between the line of perfect equality and the line of perfect inequality (x axis 0) so basically the whole triangle.
What is Gini coefficient; how to interpret?
It is a ratio measuring income equality.
Gini coefficient of 1 = maximum inequality but 0 = perfect equality.
What are the implications of income inequities on health and society
Unequal society-civic participation
Less social cohesion (more fragmentation)
Increased stress
Diminishing function of democracy
Less trust between groups, more conflict
Reduced economic productivity- > not everyone employed
Poorer health outcomes - less opportunities
