Health Inequalities

Health inequity refers to avoidable disparities in health among various groups of people. These widespread disparities result from inequitable systems that have a negative impact on people's living conditions, access to healthcare, and overall health. Health inequity disproportionately affects people from disadvantaged or historically oppressed groups. It does, however, have a negative impact on everyone. Health inequalities are avoidable, unfair, and systematic disparities in health among various groups of people. There are numerous types of health inequality, as well as multiple definitions of the term. This means that when we talk about 'health inequality,' we should be clear about which measures are unequally distributed and between whom.

Health inequity is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as 

"systematic differences in the health status of different population groups."

As a result of the systems that influence their lives, certain groups have poorer health and more difficulty accessing healthcare. Economic and political systems, for example, can have an impact on poverty. People born in low-income areas may have limited access to safe housing, clean water, nutritious food, education, and medical care, all of which have an impact on health. This creates an unnecessary and unjust divide between different groups. To overcome this, changes in government policy are required. Health inequity occurs at the local, national, and global levels, affecting all countries.

Health inequalities are ultimately about differences in people's health status. However, the term is also commonly used to refer to differences in people's health care and opportunities to live healthy lives, both of which can contribute to their health status. As a result, health disparities can include differences in:

• Life expectancy and the prevalence of health conditions 
• Access to care, for example, treatment availability
• Quality and experience of care, such as patient satisfaction levels
• Behavioral health risks, such as smoking rates
• Broader health determinants, such as housing quality

Inequalities between Who?

People can experience differences in health status and the factors that influence it due to a variety of factors. In England, health inequalities are frequently examined and addressed through policy in four areas:

• Socioeconomic factors, such as income
• Geography, such as region or whether urban or rural
•  Specific characteristics, such as sex, ethnicity, or disability
•  Socially excluded groups, such as people experiencing homelessness

Examples of Health Inequality

• Life Expectancy

Life expectancy is an important indicator of a population's health. Inequality in life expectancy is thus one of the most important indicators of health inequality. People's socioeconomic circumstances have a strong influence on their life expectancy. Deprivation is the most common summary measure of these circumstances across a population. The average life expectancy varies greatly depending on the region in which a person is born. Socioeconomic background has a significant impact on this.

Children born in Sierra Leone, West Africa, for example, have a life expectancy of 50 years, whereas children born in Japan have an 84-year life expectancy. This is due to significant disparities in living conditions, income, and healthcare services. This issue is not limited to low-income countries. Men's life expectancy in Glasgow, United Kingdom, can vary by up to 15.5 years depending on where they live.

• Mental Illness

Inequity can also result in chronic stress, which has an impact on both mental and physical health. Assessing differences in the prevalence of mental illness across social groups is difficult and complex because rates of recognition, reporting, and diagnosis differ across groups. While patchy and inconsistent in many cases, existing evidence suggests a number of important patterns. The Youth Risk Behavior Study 2009–2019 states that, for example, gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth in the United States face more bullying and sexual violence than heterosexual youth. As a result, rates of mental illness and suicide have risen. People with mental illnesses and feelings of safety may find it more difficult to attend school or work and seek treatment for their symptoms.

• Difficulty getting Healthcare

Bias, prejudice, and discrimination can all lead to diagnostic and treatment delays. Doctors may have difficulty believing or taking certain groups seriously. According to some studies, women wait longer than men on average for medical care when they visit the emergency department. Women also face significant delays in the treatment of a variety of conditions, including bleeding disorders and lupus. This is not for medical reasons. A lack of understanding about the differences in heart attack symptoms between men and women contributes to a higher rate of misdiagnosis, which can be fatal.

• Preventable Deaths

Some deaths could be avoided with preventive interventions or timely health care. Differences in avoidable mortality rates between population groups reflect disparities in people receiving the care they require to address life-threatening health risks and illnesses. Preventable deaths are caused by health inequity. There are numerous examples of this, but one of the most obvious is the disparity in infant health and mortality between Black and white babies born in the United States. Black people are more likely than white people to have babies who are underweight at birth. They are also more likely to experience a baby loss. This is unrelated to any biological differences between races, and it holds true regardless of socioeconomic status. This demonstrates that the increased infant mortality rate is not natural or unavoidable.

Health inequities are avoidable disparities in the health of various social groups. They are not the result of natural or unavoidable differences, but of man-made systems and structures. Inequitable health care affects everyone, regardless of background or identity. However, it has the greatest impact on historically marginalised groups.

Impacts of Health Inequalities

Everyone suffers as a result of health inequity. It has a negative impact not only on those who are directly affected but also on those with more power and resources. Thus, Health inequity:

• ·        makes infectious disease containment and treatment more difficult
• ·        Increased crime and violence in communities
• ·        fuels alcohol and substance abuse
• ·        increases stress and anxiety by undermining social cohesion
• ·        reduces productivity and employment, and thus tax revenue