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Showing results for tags 'Social determinants of health'.
Found 100 results
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Content ArticleThe gap in healthy life expectancy is being driven by the increasing numbers of people managing a long-term condition (LTC) and, increasingly more than one – known as multi-morbidity. This situation affects a higher proportion of the population facing systemic discrimination and marginalisation, and those experiencing higher levels of deprivation. This report from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy raises awareness of health inequities in rehabilitation and recovery services across the UK
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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 ArticleThe Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) is issuing the UK’s paediatricians with detailed advice on how they can help households in poverty. It has drawn up a series of resources, including advice for doctors treating children to use appointments to talk sensitively to their parents about issues that can have a big impact on their offspring’s health. These include diet, local pollution levels, socio-economic circumstances and difficulties at home or school, which are closely linked to children’s risk of being overweight, asthmatic or stressed.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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Content ArticleThis report revisits the conclusions of The Health Foundation's Covid-19 impact enquiry, which found that poor health and existing inequalities had left parts of the UK more vulnerable to the virus and had influenced its devastating impact. A year on from the impact inquiry, more than 90% of the UK population have had at least one Covid-19 infection, and 74% of adults had received three vaccinations by April 2022. This report considers: the further direct impact of Covid-19 on health outcomes. the broader implications for social determinants of health. the extent to which previously highlighted risks to health have been addressed. the implications for the country of ‘living with Covid-19’.
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Content ArticleThis blog by Professor Michael Marmot, Professor of Epidemiology, University College London looks at the ways in which the Covid-19 pandemic both exposed and amplified underlying inequalities in society. He highlights the link between higher Covid mortality rates, race and deprivation that demonstrates the striking health inequalities that exist in the UK. He asks the question, "Can the UK learn the lessons of the pandemic, and build back fairer?"
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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.
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News Article
Poorest women in England have same ill health at 60 as richest at 76
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A 60-year-old woman in England’s poorest areas typically has the same level of illness as a woman 16 years older in the richest areas, a study into health inequalities has found. The Health Foundation found a similarly stark, though less wide, gap in men’s health. At 60 a man living in the most deprived 10% of the country typically has the burden of ill-health experienced by a counterpart in the wealthiest 10% at the age of 70. The thinktank’s analysis of NHS data also shows that women in England’s poorest places are diagnosed with a long-term illness at the age of 40 on average, whereas that does not happen to those in the most prosperous places until 48. The findings underline Britain’s wide and entrenched socio-economic inequalities in health, which the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted. Ministers have promised to make tackling them a priority as part of the commitment to levelling up, but a promised white paper on that has been delayed. Researchers led by Toby Watt said their findings were likely to be the most accurate published so far because they were based on data detailing patients’ interactions with primary care and hospital services, and unlike previous studies did not rely on people’s self-reported health. “In human terms, these stark disparities show that at the age of 40, the average woman living in the poorest areas in England is already being treated for her first long-term illness. This condition means discomfort, a worse quality of life and additional visits to the GP, medication or hospital, depending on what it is. At the other end of the spectrum, the average 40-year-old woman will live a further eight years – about 10% of her life – without diminished quality of life through illness,” Watt said. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 17 August 2022 -
Content ArticleNon-communicable illness is responsible for 88% of the burden of disease in England, with the majority falling most heavily on the poorest in society. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted pervasive socioeconomic, ethnic and geographical health inequalities in our society. But quantifying health inequalities can be difficult due to the complexities of comparing people with multiple different long-term conditions (multimorbidity) and assessing the implications for their health care needs. In this analysis from the The Health Foundation, a novel tool known as the Cambridge Multimorbidity Score was used to assess the relative impact of different patterns of diagnosed illness on people and their use of the health care system.
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Content ArticleRecent data shows that people aged 10–25 in the poorest areas of the UK will die earlier than those in richer areas. It’s also predicted that people aged 10–14 living in the most deprived areas will live 18 more years in ill health than their peers in the least deprived areas. In this blog for The Health Foundation, Association for Young People's Health (AYPH) policy fellow Rachael McKeown outlines data recently published by AYPH that shows the scale and complexity of young people’s health inequalities, and the need for action.
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Content ArticleThe Commission on Young Lives (COYL) was set up in September 2021, to propose a new settlement to prevent marginalised children and young people from falling into violence, exploitation and the criminal justice system, and to support them to thrive. Its national action plan will include ambitious practical, affordable proposals that government, councils, police, social services and communities can put into place. This detailed report by COYL examines the state of children and young people's mental health, describing the current situation as "a profound crisis." It examines the impact of the pandemic on young people's mental health, as well highlighting the lack of capacity and inequalities present in children and young people's mental health services. It then looks in detail at factors that contribute to mental health issues in children and young people and prevent marginalised groups from accessing mental health support.
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Content ArticleYoung people from different backgrounds with different lived experiences can have different physical and mental health outcomes. This briefing document by the Association for Young People’s Health (AYPH) offers a definition for health inequalities that is specific to young people, and a conceptual framework to help identify key causes and factors that influence health outcomes. As well as highlighting the impact of Covid-19 on young people's health and wellbeing, the paper focuses on different factors that will affect young people's health outcomes now and in the future, including education, employment, housing, geographical area, development of behaviours and relationships.
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Content ArticleThis briefing paper by thinktank The Centre for Mental Health explores evidence about the links between factors that worsen mental health, showing that living in poverty increases people’s risk of mental health difficulties, and that more unequal societies have higher overall levels of mental ill health. It also demonstrates that poverty and economic inequality intersect with structural racism to undermine the mental health of racialised and marginalised groups in society. Among other things, it highlights inequalities in access to primary care and mental health services across the UK.
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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
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Content Article
Blog - introducing No Wrong Door (22 September 2021)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Mental health
This blog describes No Wrong Door (NWD), an adult community mental health transformation programme being rolled out across Hampshire, Southampton, Isle of Wight and Portsmouth. The NWD model takes a partnership approach and recognises that mental health is affected by quality of housing, employment, family and personal contacts, leisure and cultural activities, technological solutions and other community resources such as green spaces. Mental health services will work together with the community to ensure that care can be provided locally, and that support can be received in several settings for multiple aspects of a person’s life. -
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.
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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
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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.
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News Article
Cost of living: Soaring bills damaging people's health, say medics
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Rises in the cost of living are already having a negative impact of people's health, health professionals warn. BBC News has been told of people skipping meals or cutting back on medication, because of money worries. The Royal College of Nursing says people are having to make heart-wrenching choices that compromise their health and wellbeing. Along with GPs and hospital doctors, they warn health inequalities between rich and poor risk becoming worse. Laura Brant, 28, has already had to make some tough choices about a treatment keeping her alive. Having lived with kidney disease since the age of seven, she has already had two kidney transplants - and now needs another. Laura is dependent on a dialysis machine to carry out the filtering process usually performed by the kidneys. Without it, she could be dead in a week. Laura was having dialysis at home - but the machine used so much electricity and water the bills started to mount rapidly. "I'd say that it's the straw that broke the camel's back, really, with the cost of running the dialysis machine, the water it uses, the electric," she says. "And it was adding to my anxiety, like, 'How am I going to pay to do this treatment every month?'" Royal College of Physicians president Dr Andrew Goddard says some of his respiratory-medicine colleagues are hearing of patients choosing to turn off oxygen supplies to save money. "Respiratory disease disproportionately affects those least able to afford to improve their social circumstances," he says. "It seems likely the cost of living crisis will widen this disparity further." Read full story Source: BBC News, 9 June 2022 -
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 -
News Article
NHS waiting lists: Women, low earners and ethnic minorities worst affected
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Women, low earners and ethnic minorities are faring worse on NHS waiting lists, according to research. Healthwatch, a patient watchdog, warned there was a risk that those with “more demands on their lives” such as long hours or caring responsibilities could end up at the back of the queue. It urged hospitals to be proactive in managing waiting lists and communicate with patients who might otherwise be left in limbo. The Healthwatch survey found 54% of women had waited more than four months for treatment, compared with 42% of men. They were also more likely to have had treatment delayed or cancelled, and to feel that a delay to treatment had made an impact on their ability to work. Some 54% of people on lower incomes had been waiting more than four months for hospital care, compared with 34% of higher wealth individuals. They reported a greater impact on their mental health and their ability to work. And 57% of respondents from ethnic minorities had faced a delay to or cancellation of hospital treatment, compared with 42 per cent of white British people. Louise Ansari, Healthwatch England’s national director, said the factors could have a “layering effect” that meant people had a much poorer experience, calling for “an additional specific focus on those groups” so that they do not end up “in worse and worse health”. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 8 June 2022 -
Content ArticleChronic (persistent or long-lasting or recurrent) pain is life-changing and can significantly impact individuals, their families and carers. This paper sets out the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance's (ARMA's) position on how pain affects people with musculoskeletal conditions, and how their pain should be managed.
