Reasons for Health Inequalities Flashcards
What are the 4 Factors in this essay?
Smoking
Alcohol
Bad Diet
Lack of exercise/Location(poverty)
Factor 1 - Smoking
K - 27% of the poorest 5th in Scotland smoke compared to the 9% of the richest 5th
A - Poverty increases the likelihood of a person smoking as they may not be able to afford anti-smoking support. It may also be used to suppress hunger and escape from their financial issues
K - Cancer research has labeled smoking as the “most preventable cause of cancer”
A - This leads to a shorter life expectancy as 86% of lung cancer deaths are linked to smoking which means people who can’t afford to get the support they need are more likely to develop a deadly illness.
Factor 2 - Alcohol
K - Alcohol deaths in the poorest 10% of areas are 7x higher than the richest 10%
A - This shows that is not all about choice as people in deprived areas are more likely to use alcohol as a stress reliever.
K - Furthermore, NHS Scotland revealed that the country’s booze culture kills around 40 scots a week.
A - This is because consumption of alcohol can lead to health issues such as liver failure, scarring, or even death. This is more likely to occur in deprived scots.
Factor 3 - Bad Diet
K - Children who are obese are twice as likely to come from a deprived area
A - This clearly shows how having an unhealthy diet is not always a choice as people living in poorer areas may not be able to afford healthy food and may opt for the more convenient option of takeaways and fast food.
A - Unhealthy diets can also lead to serious health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. This often leads to a shortened life expectancy.
K - 10% of Scottish deaths are linked to obesity
Factor 4 - Lack of Exercise
K - Less than half of scots complete the recommended 3 hours of exercise a week
A - Not doing enough exercise can lead to serious health issues such as cancer, heart disease, and strokes, The nation’s big killers
K - 16% of brits state that money is a barrier to exercise.
A - This shows that lack of exercise is not always a choice and poorer people might not be able to afford things like a gym membership or access to sports clubs. They may also not have the motivation as they may be dealing with other issues.
Factor 4 - Location (Poverty)
K - Shettleston in Glasgow has the lowest life expectancy in the UK at 66
A - This is because the area is covered in takeaways and fast food shops which dictates the idea of convenience culture and encourages poorer people to buy the cheap, unhealthy food that surrounds them.
K - GP funding is £7 less per patient in deprived areas of Glasgow compared to the richest areas
A - this means it is harder for the people in deprived areas to get the treatment they may need. This may lead to illnesses progressively getting worse to a point where they can become critical.
