Does income inequality cause health and social problems?

Key points• The literature shows general agreement about a correlation between income inequality and health/social problems. • There is less agreement about whether income inequality causes health and social problems independently of other factors, but some rigorous studies have found evidence of this. • The independent effect of income inequality on health/social problems shown in some studies looks small in statistical terms. But these studies cover whole populations, and hence a significant number of lives. • Some research suggests that inequality is particularly harmful beyond a certain threshold. Britain was below this threshold in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s, but rose past it in 1986–7 and has settled well above it since 1998–9. If the threshold is significant it could provide a target for policy. • Anxiety about status might explain income inequality’s effect on health and social problems. If so, inequality is harmful because it places people in a hierarchy which increases competition for status, causing stress and leading to poor health and other negative outcomes. • Not all research shows an independent effect of income inequality on health/social problems. Some highlights the role of individual income (poverty/material circumstances), culture/history, ethnicity and welfare state institutions/social policies. • The author concludes that there is a strong case for further research on income inequality and discussion of the policy implications.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition in Ireland. Mental Health and Social Well-being Report

SĹN 2007: Older People, Loneliness and Social Support to Mental HealthSĹN, the national Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition, shows that most Irish adults have a reasonably high level of positive mental health. It is the largest national survey on positive and negative mental health and social well-being in the Irish adult population.��One finding highlights the significance of loneliness and social support to mental health. Finding reveal that 14% of respondents reported being often lonely in the last four weeks, with women, older people and respondents in lower social class groups reporting high levels of loneliness. The SĹN report indicates that being widowed and not being in paid employment are the strongest overall predictors of loneliness. Respondents who are widowed are about five times more likely to feel lonely than those who are married or cohabiting, while 17% of respondents aged 65 and over report being often lonely.��SLAN 2007 highlights the significance of loneliness and social support to mental health. It proposes community-based interventions, including community development approaches and strategies to promote community involvement as a way to tackle such social and health inequities at local level. The report also highlights the importance of implementing the recommendations of the policy document A Vision for Change. It says that protection and promotion of the future health and well-being of the Irish population requires the implementation of effective cross-sectoral policies that will help create and maintain a mentally healthy society, with consequent health, economic and social benefits for all.����SLAN is commissioned by the Department of Health and Children and involved face-to-face interviews with 10,364 respondents aged 18 years and over.��

Health and Social Care Inequalities Northern Ireland: First sub-regional report

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Northern Ireland) published its first sub-regional bulletin of the Health and Social Care Inequalities Monitoring System (HSCIMS) on Wednesday, 7th July.The bulletin provides a picture of health inequalities at Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust level and a detailed comparison of morbidity, mortality, utilisation and access to health and social services between the 20% most deprived areas within a Trust and the overall Trust as well as NI as a whole. Health and Social Services Inequalities Monitoring System. Sub-Regional Inequalities HSC Trusts 2010 (PDF 5.6MB)��The Inequalities Monitoring system comprises various indicators which are monitored over time to assess area differences across morbidity, utilisation and access to Health and Social Care services in NI. Results for each indicator for the 20% most deprived (as per 2005 NISRA Measures of Deprivation) and the 20% most rural areas are compared with the NI average. There is also a comparison of the Section 75 equality group profiles of the areas with the 20% worst outcomes with NI overall for selected indicators.��

Poverty and social exclusion in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland’s labour market and poverty rates have deteriorated in the last five years, in addition to longstanding issues of mental health and community divisions – and welfare reforms are likely to exacerbate these problems.��New research��by the New Policy Institute for JRF brings together the latest data to show the extent and nature of poverty in Northern Ireland (NI), focusing on the links between poverty, work, disability and age. It finds that:��•��between 2006/07 and 2011/12 the average (median) income in NI fell by almost 10 per cent compared with 7 per cent for the UK as a whole;��•��the proportion of unemployed working-age people in NI almost doubled between 2007/08 and 2012/13 to reach 5.8 per cent. Growth in the proportion working part-time and wanting full-time work has been greater – up from 1.7 per cent, the same as in Great Britain (GB), to 4.4 per cent (compared with 3.5 per cent in GB);��•��the proportion of pensioners in poverty in NI fell from 19 per cent to 16 per cent in the five years to 2011/12. The poverty rate rose over this period for working-age adults and children;��•��in the five years to 2011/12, the poverty rate among adults aged 16 to 29 rose by 8 percentage points to reach 26 per cent. Poverty has also increased among those aged 30 to 59, solely among those in working families.��For more information about this research and forthcoming work, please contact Aleks Collingwood, programme manager:��Aleks.Collingwood@jrf.org.uk

Health and social inequalities in English adolescents: Exploring the importance of school, family and neighbourhood

The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study was established 22 years ago. It is cross-national research conducted by an international network of teams in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe. Its aim is to gain new insight into young people۪s health, wellbeing and health behaviour, including links with their social context. Researchers from three countries started the HBSC study in 1982 and since then, a growing number of countries and regions have joined the study. This report presents findings from the 2001/2 English part of the study, which was carried out on behalf of the Health Development Agency by BMRB Social Research. This is the third time the survey has been carried out in England; previous surveys took place in 1995 and 1997.

Assessment of free-living physical activity in humans: an overview of currently available and proposed new measures.

The number of physical activity measures and indexes used in the human literature is large and may result in some difficulty for the average investigator to choose the most appropriate measure. Accordingly, this review is intended to provide information on the utility and limitations of the various measures. Its primary focus is the objective assessment of free-living physical activity in humans based on physiological and biomechanical methods. The physical activity measures have been classified into three categories: Measures based on energy expenditure or oxygen uptake, such as activity energy expenditure, activity-related time equivalent, physical activity level, physical activity ratio, metabolic equivalent, and a new index of potential interest, daytime physical activity level. Measures based on heart rate monitoring, such as net heart rate, physical activity ratio heart rate, physical activity level heart rate, activity-related time equivalent, and daytime physical activity level heart rate. Measures based on whole-body accelerometry (counts/U time). Quantification of the velocity and duration of displacement in outdoor conditions by satellites using the Differential Global Positioning System may constitute a surrogate for physical activity, because walking is the primary activity of man in free-living conditions. A general outline of the measures and indexes described above is presented in tabular form, along with their respective definition, usual applications, advantages, and shortcomings. A practical example is given with typical values in obese and non-obese subjects. The various factors to be considered in the selection of physical activity methods include experimental goals, sample size, budget, cultural and social/environmental factors, physical burden for the subject, and statistical factors, such as accuracy and precision. It is concluded that no single current technique is able to quantify all aspects of physical activity under free-living conditions, requiring the use of complementary methods. In the future, physical activity sensors, which are of low-cost, small-sized, and convenient for subjects, investigators, and clinicians, are needed to reliably monitor, during extended periods in free-living situations, small changes in movements and grade as well as duration and intensity of typical physical activities.

Regional Health and Social Care Personal and Public Involvement Forum: Annual update report

This is the first annual report of the Regional Health and Social Care Personal and Public Involvement (PPI) Forum. It gives a brief introduction into the concept of PPI, which seeks to involve service users and the public in the planning, delivery and commissioning of services across healthcare in Northern Ireland. The report also provides a background to the development of PPI in Northern Ireland and details on the establishment of the forum.The bulk of the report centres on how PPI is being implemented across all the partner organisations within the healthcare system. Each organisation is introduced and each provides a summary of PPI work it has delivered and planned for the near future. A list of relevant contacts is also included.

Valuing People, Valuing Their Participation - A Strategy for Personal and Public Involvement for the Public Health Agency and Health and Social Care Board

Personal and Public Involvement (PPI) is about involving those who use Health and Social Care (HSC) services, or care for those who use services, with those who plan and deliver services. This involvement can sometimes relate to individuals (personal), or groups, or the wider community (public).This Strategy shows the direction that both the PHA and the HSCB are committed to, in their development of PPI.

Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Team (West) 2012 / 2013 Annual Report

In 2012/13 the Western Health Improvement Team invested over �4 million in a range of initiatives to address health and social wellbeing improvement and target inequalities.The range of initiatives access over 170 projects, which includes a mix of regular commissioning work and innovative development work testing new ideas. Over 250,000 individuals and groups were direct beneficiaries of the programmes; however, previous evaluations have demonstrated that the cascade effect of these initiatives was at least threefold.This comprehensive report outlines the broad range of activities and initiatives that the Western Health Improvement Team has supported during 2012/2013.

Regional Health and Social Care Personal and Public Involvement Forum: Annual Update Report 2012/13

Personal and Public Involvement (PPI) is an essential component in the delivery of truly person centred services.�It is also a statutory duty.�The PHA has leadership responsibilities in respect of the implementation of PPI across HSC.�One of the ways in which the PHA discharges that leadership function, is through the Regional HSC PPI Forum.�This body brings together all HSC organisations, working alongside service users and carers, to bring a focus on involvement.�It promotes the sharing of best practice, identifies and tackles issues of common concern and providers a platform for the active participation of service users and carers.� Each year in response to a Priorities for Action (PFA) target, the PHA, working with HSC partners, service users and carers in the Forum, develop an Annual Report on PPI work taken forward through the Forum.The report for 2012/13 details progress in a number of important areas such as training, development of standards etc.

Joint Commissioning Plan of the Health and Social Care Board and the Public Health Agency: 2010-2011

Legislation enacted on 1 April 2009 created a new Commissioning system with the establishment of a region-wide Health and Social Care Board, including 5 Local Commissioning Groups (LCGs), and a Public Health Agency. In line with Departmental direction and guidance the objectives of the new commissioning arrangementswere to:- Approach the future delivery of Health and Social Care from a region-wide perspective focused on outcomes.- Ensure local sensitivity through the creation of five Local Commissioning Groups reflective of their areas.

Strategy for personal and public involvement in Health and Social Care research

This report outlines the strategic need for, and benefits of,�personal and public involvement�to all levels of Health and Social Care Research�&�Development Division activity.

The report of the Outbreak Control Team of the investigation of an outbreak of listeriosis in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust during May to November 2008

This is the report of the interagency Outbreak Control Team (OCT) of an investigation of an outbreak of listeriosis which occurred during May to November 2008 in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.The report describes the chronology of the outbreak and the outcome of epidemiological, environmental health and microbiological investigations. The report concludes with recommendations for public health, Trusts, the Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety, the Food Standards Agency, and those responsible for hospital food procurement.�

Health and social care workers: don't risk flu infection

This leaflet explains why health and social care workers should receive the new flu vaccine. It provides a range of information, including how to get vaccinated, how the vaccine works, how effective it is and possible side effects.