Eight Poverty and health: thirty years of progress?
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Lucy Prior
Abstract
This chapter presents an overview of the relationships of poverty and social exclusion to health. Inequalities in health are investigated across poverty definitions and different health measures, including general health, limiting long term illness, mental state and longstanding mental conditions. Relationships of dimensions of social exclusion to health are also exposed. Health is worse for the unemployed compared to those who are working, reflecting a complex pattern of associations where health is both a cause and consequence of labour market exclusion. The housing environment demonstrates further inequalities in general and mental health, as does exclusion in the form of low social activity and support, which significantly relate to worse mental health. Overall, this chapter reveals the persistent nature of health inequality. More than 30 years on from the first Breadline Britain survey, individuals in poverty are still suffering worse health compared to their more advantaged counterparts.
Abstract
This chapter presents an overview of the relationships of poverty and social exclusion to health. Inequalities in health are investigated across poverty definitions and different health measures, including general health, limiting long term illness, mental state and longstanding mental conditions. Relationships of dimensions of social exclusion to health are also exposed. Health is worse for the unemployed compared to those who are working, reflecting a complex pattern of associations where health is both a cause and consequence of labour market exclusion. The housing environment demonstrates further inequalities in general and mental health, as does exclusion in the form of low social activity and support, which significantly relate to worse mental health. Overall, this chapter reveals the persistent nature of health inequality. More than 30 years on from the first Breadline Britain survey, individuals in poverty are still suffering worse health compared to their more advantaged counterparts.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of tables and figures iv
- Glossary viii
- Notes on contributors xii
- Acknowledgements xv
- Introduction 1
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Resources
- Fifty years of poverty in the UK 27
- Living standards in the UK 57
- Severe poverty and destitution 91
- Poverty, local services and austerity 113
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Participation
- Social participation and social support 137
- Employment, poverty and social exclusion 159
- Poverty, social exclusion and civic engagement 179
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Quality of life
- Poverty and health: thirty years of progress? 203
- Housing and the living environment 225
- Poverty and social harm: challenging discourses of risk, resilience and choice 245
- Financial inclusion, financial stress and debt 267
- The poverty of well-being 289
-
Bringing it together
- The multidimensional analysis of social exclusion 311
- Conclusions and emerging themes 343
- Index 363
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of tables and figures iv
- Glossary viii
- Notes on contributors xii
- Acknowledgements xv
- Introduction 1
-
Resources
- Fifty years of poverty in the UK 27
- Living standards in the UK 57
- Severe poverty and destitution 91
- Poverty, local services and austerity 113
-
Participation
- Social participation and social support 137
- Employment, poverty and social exclusion 159
- Poverty, social exclusion and civic engagement 179
-
Quality of life
- Poverty and health: thirty years of progress? 203
- Housing and the living environment 225
- Poverty and social harm: challenging discourses of risk, resilience and choice 245
- Financial inclusion, financial stress and debt 267
- The poverty of well-being 289
-
Bringing it together
- The multidimensional analysis of social exclusion 311
- Conclusions and emerging themes 343
- Index 363
