Search the hub
Showing results for tags 'Social determinants of health'.
Found 100 results
-
News Article
Asthma attacks in more than 1m people linked to UK cost of living rationing
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
More than a million people in the UK have experienced life-threatening asthma attacks after cutting back on medicine, heating or food amid the soaring cost of living crisis, a survey suggests. One in five (20%) people living with asthma in the UK – of which there are 5.4 million – have had an attack as a result of changes they have been forced to make due to rising energy, food and household bills, according to the research by Asthma + Lung UK. Fuel poverty campaigners described the figures as “distressing”. Almost half of the 3,600 people with lung conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis surveyed by the charity said their health had worsened since the crisis began. Asthma + Lung UK warned there could be a “tidal wave” of hospital admissions in the next few months as cold weather, an abundance of viruses and people cutting back on medicines, heating, food and electricity put them at increased risk. Sarah Woolnough, the charity’s chief executive, said: “Untenable cost of living hikes are forcing people with lung conditions to make impossible choices about their health. “Warm homes, regular medicine and a healthy diet are all important pillars to good lung condition management – but they all come at a cost. We are hearing from people already reporting a sharp decline in their lung health, including many having life-threatening asthma attacks. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 28 September 2022 -
Content ArticleIn the UK today, nearly 40% of the population are living in poverty because of low income. This means that nurses and midwives are likely to meet people experiencing poverty and deprivation as part of their everyday work and should be ready and able to help them access the assistance they need to overcome the associated challenges. This article in the British Journal of Nursing examines the link between financial status and people's health and wellbeing. The article includes a case study and suggestions as to how nurses and midwives can promote financial wellbeing.
-
Content ArticleThis paper, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) aimed to explore how parental wealth and race affect maternal and infant health outcomes in California. The authors used administrative data that combines the California birth records, hospitalisations and death records with parental income from Internal Revenue Service tax records and the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics file to provide new evidence on economic inequality in infant and maternal health. The paper also used birth outcomes and infant mortality rates in Sweden as a benchmark, finding that infant and maternal health is worse in California than in Sweden for most outcomes throughout the entire income distribution.
-
News Article
Severely ill refusing sicknotes as they cannot afford time off, says GPs’ head
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Ill patients are refusing sicknotes from their GP because they cannot afford time off work, while doctors suffer “moral distress” at their powerlessness to do more to help the most vulnerable, the new leader of Britain’s family doctors has revealed. More patients are experiencing asthma attacks or other serious breathing problems because they cannot afford to heat their homes, said Dr Kamila Hawthorne, the chair of the Royal College of GPs, while many have reported deteriorating mental health due to financial stress. Soaring food costs are also leading to a rise in fatigue, mouth ulcers and weak muscles, with people deficient in key vitamins because they cannot afford to eat anything other than a poor diet. So many patients are presenting with complex physical and psychological problems related to poverty, domestic violence, childhood abuse or poor housing that GPs are suffering psychologically from their inability to take the requisite action, she said. Hawthorne said: “Recently I’ve had patients refusing sicknotes because they can’t afford not to work. Quite often, when it’s clear that somebody needs some time off, they won’t take it. “These are people who ideally, medically, should not be at work [because] they have a chronic condition such as asthma or diabetes, but quite often mental health problems, quite severe mental health problems, I [see] some cases that really do require a bit of sicknote peace and quiet to try and help them get better. “I’ve been really surprised in the last year that when I’ve offered a sicknote they’ve said: ‘Oh no, no, I can’t take time off. I need the money from work.’ They’ve refused. They say: ‘I need to keep working to earn and to feed myself and my family.’ I don’t take it personally, of course, but I feel sad for people because for a few minutes you enter their lives and see that it’s really tough.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 23 November 2022 -
News Article
Patients prescribed heating as part of health trial
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Doctors are prescribing heating to patients with conditions that get worse in the cold as part of a health trial. The Warm Home Prescription pilot paid to heat the homes of 28 low-income patients to avoid the cost of hospital care if they became more ill. Michelle Davis, who has arthritis and serious pulmonary illness, had her energy bills paid for and said the difference was "mind-blowing". "When the weather turns cold, I tend to seize up," she told the BBC. "It's very painful, my joints ache and my bones are like hot pokers." In 2020 Ms Davis spent most of the winter in bed, trying to keep warm and was admitted to hospital with pneumonia and pleurisy. But not in winter 2021. "You're not stuck in bed, you're not going to hospital, my children were able to have a life, they were able to go out and play and get cold," she said. Academics estimate that cold homes cost NHS England £860m a year and that 10,000 people die every year due a cold home. But that research was completed before the current cost of living crisis took hold. This first trial achieved such good results, that it's being expanded to 150 households in NHS Gloucestershire's area, plus about 1,000 in Aberdeen and Teesside. Dr Matt Lipson helped design the pilot programme and feels like this preventative step is a no-brainer for the health service. "If we buy the energy people need but can't afford, they can keep warm at home and stay out of hospital," he said. "That would target support to where it's needed, save money overall and take pressure off the health service." The change in patients was swift: "The NHS were telling us they were seeing a benefit much more quickly than pills and potions," Dr Lipson added. "It was taking days, not weeks and months." Read full story Source: BBC News, 22 November 2022 -
News Article
Poorer areas in England suffer most from GP shortage, study finds
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The gap between the number of GPs per patient in richer and poorer parts of England is widening, according to analysis by University of Cambridge. The study for BBC Newsnight saw "stark inequalities" in GPs' distribution. Separate BBC research also found patient satisfaction on measures such as how easy a practice is to reach by phone is lower in deprived areas. The Department of Health and Social Care said it was focusing support on those who need it most. Earlier this year, public satisfaction with GP care - as measured by the British Social Attitudes poll - fell to its lowest level across England since the survey began in 1983. The fall was widespread across all income groups. The finding chimes with a Health Foundation analysis of official checks on the quality of services carried out by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). It found practices serving patients living in the most deprived areas are more likely to receive CQC ratings of "inadequate" and "requires improvement" than those serving patients who live in the most affluent areas. Read full story Source: BBC News, 4 November 2022 -
EventuntilJoin us to learn how welfare rights advice services are being integrated with healthcare nationwide to tackle poverty and health inequality. This event will be of interest to people working in Integrated Care Systems and public health policy and practice. Taking action on poverty and health inequality is ever more important for the NHS, as the current cost of living crisis increases hardship among communities. The consequences for health and wellbeing will be felt most keenly among low income and vulnerable patient groups. Health justice partnerships are targeted interventions that support patients with social and economic circumstances that are root causes of health inequality. They are partnerships between health services and organisations specialising in welfare rights. Advice on welfare rights issues is integrated with patient care, helping people resolve problems relating to benefits, debt, housing, employment and immigration, among others. This can support those in the hardest circumstances to maximise their health and wellbeing. This one-day in-person workshop is an opportunity to learn about health justice partnerships and how they are being implemented across the country in a range of NHS settings. We will be joined by speakers who are engaged in service delivery, policy and research, who will provide examples and insights from their work. Speakers will include: Professor Dame Hazel Genn, Director of the Centre for Access to Justice, UCL Cedi Frederick, Chair of the NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board Natalie Davis, Head of Legal Support Policy, Ministry of Justice Catherine McClennan, Director of the Women’s Health and Maternity Programme, Cheshire and Merseyside Health & Care Partnership Paul Sweeting, Insight and Performance Partner, Macmillan Cancer Support Refreshments are provided and there will be opportunities for discussion and networking. Outline of the day (provisional timings) 09.15: Registration and refreshments 10.15: Plenary session 1 - Introducing Health Justice Partnerships 11.45: Plenary session 2 - Health Justice Partnership case studies 13.00: Lunch provided 14.00: Plenary session 3 - Implementing Health Justice Partnerships 15.15: Group discussion session 4 - Where next for you? 16.30: Refreshments and networking Please see our website for further information on Health Justice Partnerships. Register for a place This event is supported by The Legal Education Foundation.
-
EventThe case for addressing poverty, its root causes and associated health inequalities is urgent and overwhelming. The Covid-19 pandemic has laid bare the harm caused by deprivation, and the cost-of-living crisis is likely to hit the poorest the hardest – leading to poorer health and lower social mobility. At this event, leaders across the NHS, local government, the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, and those with lived experience will share learning on the role of the health and care sector in tackling the root causes of poverty. This King's Fund event will provide practical examples on how the health and care sector can effectively engage with partners across local government, the VCSE sector and business, to achieve meaningful progress on poverty and deliver services to the most excluded in society. You will hear about the role of NHS organisations as ‘anchor institutions’ and discuss how health and care organisations should use their influence and resources to poverty-proof services, address inequalities, and benefit the communities they serve. Register
-
Content ArticleThe early use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) improves outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). This study in the journal Heart investigated AED access across Great Britain according to socioeconomic deprivation. The authors found that in England and Scotland, there are differences in distances to the nearest 24/7 accessible AED between the most and least deprived communities. They concluded that equitable access to ‘out-of-hours’ accessible AEDs may improve outcomes for people with OHCA.
-
Content ArticlePeople living in deprived areas experience the most significant health inequalities in terms of access, experience and outcomes. There are large reductions in life expectancy for those living in the most deprived areas compared to people living in the least deprived areas. NHS England commissioned a research project into access, experience and outcomes related to health services in socio-economically deprived communities. This communications and engagement toolkit is an output of the research. The toolkit is designed to be used by communications and engagement professionals and others across the NHS with a responsibility for communicating to and engaging with people in the most deprived areas.
-
Content ArticleThere are an estimated 363,000 adults experiencing multiple disadvantage in England—they may be experiencing a combination of homelessness, substance misuse, mental health issues, domestic abuse and contact with the criminal justice system. The Changing Futures programme works in partnership in local areas and across government to test innovative approaches and drive lasting change across the whole system, in order to provide better outcomes for adults experiencing multiple disadvantage. This prospectus provides information for partnerships interested in submitting an expressions of interest to be part of the Changing Futures programme.
-
Content ArticleToo many women are dying from disadvantage in one of the poorest parts of England, according to ground breaking new research which serves as an urgent wake-up call for levelling up efforts. The report by Agenda Alliance and Changing Lives, Dismantling disadvantage has found that in 2021 a woman in the North East of England was 1.7 times more likely to die early as a result of suicide, addiction, or murder by a partner or family member than in the rest of England and Wales. Today’s new research was conducted to better understand the lives and needs of disadvantaged women in the North East, including Newcastle, coastal areas and Gateshead and Sunderland; some of the poorest regions in the country. Working with women with lived experience at every stage, the study involved 18 in-depth interviews, 47 survey responses; focus groups; data analysis and multiple meetings with affected women, practitioners and policy makers.
-
Content Article
Welsh Health Equity Solutions Platform
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Health inequalities
Wales has a long history and tradition of upholding universal policies, welfare, sustainability and rights-based approaches to population wellbeing. However, the trends in reducing the health gap are mixed, the rate of improvement is slower than anticipated, and new groups are emerging with disproportionately higher risk of poor health and premature death and disease. The Welsh Health Equity Solutions Platform has been designed as a resource to find data and solutions relating to health equity. It includes an interactive data dashboard, policy and healthy equity frameworks and international case studies. It aims to support and accelerate healthy prosperous lives for all in Wales. -
Content ArticleThis article summarises the findings of research by Healthwatch into the impact of the cost of living crisis on people's decisions about accessing health and care. The research, which surveyed 2000 adults in England, was conducted four times between October 2022 and March 2023. It suggests that people are increasingly avoiding vital health and care services due to the fear of extra costs. Examples include avoiding: going to a dentist because of the cost of checks ups or treatment booking an NHS appointment because they couldn’t afford the associated costs, such as accessing the Internet or the cost of a phone call buying over the counter medication they normally rely on taking up one or more NHS prescriptions because of the cost. Healthwatch sets out a series of recommendations, including ensuring that the support available to help with healthcare costs is communicated to those that need it.
-
Content ArticleEngland is the only country in the UK to still charge patients for prescriptions, with charges having been abolished in Wales and Scotland in 2007 and 2011, respectively. However, for patients in England, the cost is rising; in March 2023, the government announced an inflationary increase of 3.21%, bringing the prescription charge up to £9.65. And the number of people eligible to pay could increase, following government proposals to raise the upper age exemption for free prescriptions from 60 to 65 years. This article looks at the impact of prescription charges on health inequalities, particularly focusing on the impact of the cost of living crisis. The reporter speaks to pharmacists who regularly see patients making difficult choices about which prescriptions to collect, as well as highlighting research that suggests many patients with long term conditions are forgoing their medications as they cannot afford them.
-
Content ArticleThe health and social care system’s long-term sustainability depends on effective digital transformation. This document outlines the government's plans to reform and develop the use of digital technologies in health and social care in order to deliver a system that will be faster, more effective and more personalised. The plan pulls together the four goals of reform for the health and care system identified by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care: prevent people’s health and social care needs from escalating personalise health and social care and reduce health disparities improve the experience and impact of people providing services transform performance
-
Content ArticleUnderstanding health information (health literacy) is essential for taking medications correctly, knowing which health services to use and managing long-term conditions. Around half the population struggles to understand health information, and the most disadvantaged groups in society are most likely to have limited health literacy. Improving health literacy is therefore key to tackling health inequalities and improving health outcomes for everyone. This resource collection from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) brings together messages from research highlighted in NIHR Alert summaries. It includes research on the impact of unclear health messages, how we can help people understand health information and which groups of the population may need extra support.
-
Content ArticleDespite an increased focus in maternity services on ethnic and racial inequalities resulting in poorer outcomes, the experience of migrant women is often hidden from these data, research and improvement programmes. To understand these inequalities and their impact further, Doctors of the World UK (DOTW UK) analysed data collected through provision of health support to 257 pregnant women accessing their service between 2017 and 2021
-
Content ArticleIn this podcast for The Guardian, Madeleine Finlay speaks to Michael Marmot, Professor of Epidemiology and Director of the Institute of Health Equity at University College London, about the impact of the cost of living crisis on people's health. They talk about the ways that poverty makes people sicker and why falling income is so bad for the country’s health.
-
Content Article
ARMA - MSK Health inequalities resources
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Health inequalities
The Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA) has compiled relevant and useful resources and information specifically about musculoskeletal health inequalities. The resources include research studies, reports and reviews, and cover these areas: Social deprivation Ethnicity Sex, gender and sexual orientation Health literacy and education level Multiple factors Children and young people Webinars -
Content ArticleThere is evidence that certain subgroups of the population have a higher risk of developing dementia than others. Aside from the most important risk factor—age,—other risk factors include ethnicity, sex, learning disability and socio-economic status. This report by the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) details the impact of scientific research on health inequalities for people affected by dementia. In order to make sure dementia diagnosis and treatments are effective for everyone, we need to understand how and why different groups are affected differently, so that we can target interventions where they are most needed and maximise their benefit. The report was produced by leading dementia scientists from the UK DRI who are taking action to reduce health inequalities through their own research. This includes: Researching “blood biomarkers” to pave the way for a blood test to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. Ensuring both male and female mice are used equally in animal research so that findings can be applied to the whole population. This is policy across the UK DRI. Broadening understanding of the implications of ethnicity on risk of Alzheimer’s disease through genetic studies. Working to make clinical trials more accessible to all. Pioneering accessible, scalable, and affordable new therapies. Investigating rarer forms of dementia to plug the knowledge gap and support people living with these diseases. Addressing the environmental and lifestyle factors that impact brain health to better understand the link between socio-economic status and dementia risk.
-
Content ArticleThis review by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) looks at current NCEPOD data to identify themes relating to healthcare inequalities. It was was commissioned by Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) on behalf of the Healthcare Inequalities team at NHS England and NHS Improvement, as part of the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP). The review identifies four area of healthcare inequalities: Protected characteristics - age and disability Socioeconomic deprivation Inclusion health groups Organisation of healthcare services
-
Content ArticleLife expectancy for people with a mental illness diagnosis is 15–20 years less than those without, mainly because of poor physical health. This article in the Journal of Paramedic Practice highlights the fact that mental ill health affects a significant proportion of paramedics' patients, and argues that practitioners could assess and promote patients' physical health even though contact time is limited.
-
Content ArticleThe Institute of Health Equity (IHE) is working with local authorities up and down the country to help them implement the right approaches to reduce health inequalities. The public health department of Luton Borough Council commissioned IHE to support the local authority and other partners to act on health inequalities and become the first ‘Marmot Town’. This report is based on an assessment of data and local evidence and makes recommendations to reduce health inequalities and make Luton a fairer place to live, work, grow up and grow old in.
-
Content ArticlePatient Voices Matter (PVM), a lived experience advisory panel set up by The Patients Association, has highlighted how important it is to make information accessible to all potential users. In this blog, Sarah Tilsed Head of Patient Partnership, and Ray, a member of PVM, talk about the impact of jargon on health inequalities and the accessibility of health services. They also discuss their presentation in August 2022 to the NHS Health Inequalities Improvement Network.
