Patterns Of Health And Health Inequalities

Question 1

Which indicator is a good proxy marker for population health?

Answer 1

Infant Mortality - very sensitive to changes in health of population and also relatively easy to measure

Question 2

What is the ‘Epidemiological Transition’?

Answer 2

Transition in demographic and disease profile associated with economic and social development of countries.
Shift from deaths from acute infections towards death from chronic non-communicable diseases

Question 3

What is the main cause of death in the UK?

Answer 3

Cancer

Question 4

Define Health Inequalities

Answer 4

Marked social patterning to health of a population: systematic differences in health and illness between social groups

Question 5

Give 3 examples of groups which display health inequalities

Answer 5

Socio-economic position
Gender
Ethnicity
Geography

Question 6

What are the three explanatory models for Health Inequalities?

Answer 6

Behavioural and Cultural Model
Material and Neomaterial Model
Psychosocial Model

Question 7

Describe the Behavioural/Cultural Model

Answer 7

Health inequalities seen as a result of variations in health behaviours and lifestyles e.g. Smoking, diet, exercise etc
Individual Choices
Knowledge
Culture

Question 8

Describe the Material Model of Health inequalities

Answer 8

Health inequalities are the result of differences between socio-economic group’s acess to material resources
Poverty/Deprivation results in inequality in health

Question 9

Describe the Psychosocial Model of Health Inequalities

Answer 9

Health inequality linked to the way people’s environments make them feel.
Psychosocial stress affects health: directly through neuroendocrine pathway, and indirectly via the adoption of ‘unhealthy’ behaviours

Question 10

Give 3 indicators of the health of a population:

Answer 10

Infant Mortality
Life Expectancy at Birth
Disability Free Life Expectancy