(PDF) Reducing Health Inequalities

REDUCING HEALTH INEQUALITIES
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Reducing Health Inequalities 2
Reducing Health Inequalities
Creating a health system that is fair is paramount in ensuring an equal distribution of health
services. With the current system, statistics suggest that health conditions in Thanet are poor
compared to the average health condition to the people of England and thus inequality. Thanet is
one amongst 20% most deprived districts in England in terms of human health (Council, 2012).
Approximately 28% of children live in low-income families, the life expectancy in this area is
lower than the average life expectancy of people in England, for both male and female (Council,
2012). The critical question then is; where does this inequality arise from?
Inequality in the health sector arises from inequalities in the distribution of services within the
society. This constitutes the conditions in which the people in society are born, raised, work and
in which they age. Social and economic activities have a very close link with the distribution of
health services among a given populace. To make good steps in the right direction about the
creation of a fairer distribution of resources/services, it is important to look at the existing
inequalities in the health fields. Actions across all corners of society are the tools required for
reducing this inequality.
Marmot (2012) makes critical indications on the issues about health inequalities. Among them is
the existence of a social gradient in the health sector. The lower a person is ranked on the social
class the poor their health condition is. It is the responsibility of the state government to reduce
the existing social gradient so as to achieve a fair distribution of health services. The focus
should be on how to work across social health determinants.
Marmot also highlights that it will take universal action to reduce the social gradient so as to
improve service delivery. Focusing solely on the most disadvantaged will not sufficiently
minimize the inequalities, but instead, the actions taken should be universal with a scale and

Reducing Health Inequalities 3
intensity that is proportional to the level of the disadvantage (Whitehead et. al., 2016). It is in so
doing that the increased cases of teenage pregnancies and low performance in GCSE in Thanet
will be solved.
Reducing the health inequalities is more beneficial than is disadvantageous. It will result in
economic benefits because cost incurred on treatment will be used in more productive ways
(Marmot, 2012). The economic growth of a nation is tied to the social well-being of the people in
that nation. Sustainability and distribution of health services and facilities are paramount as
social goals.
In conclusion, the challenge of reducing the inequalities in the health sector should be a concern
to every stakeholder and indeed every person in society. Some policies have to be laid down in
order to ensure that the high rates of stroke and cancer diseases are brought down. It calls upon
the implementation of policies that ensure that: every child is provided with the best start in life,
that there is an enabling environment to young people so as to empower them to take control of
their lives, creation of employment opportunities, and provision of healthy and sustainable living
standards to all citizens regardless of their location.

Reducing Health Inequalities 4
References
Council, T.D., 2012. Health in Thanet.
Marmot, M. and Bell, R., 2012. Fair society, healthy lives. Public health, 126, pp.S4-S10.
Pinnock, H., Johnson, A., Young, P. and Martin, N., 1999. Are doctors still failing to assess and
treat asthma attacks? An audit of the management of acute attacks in a health district.
Respiratory medicine, 93(6), pp.397-401.
Whitehead, M., Pennington, A., Orton, L., Nayak, S., Petticrew, M., Sowden, A. and White, M.,
2016. How could differences in ‘control over destiny’lead to socio-economic inequalities in
health? A synthesis of theories and pathways in the living environment. Health & place, 39,
pp.51-61.