Policy Press
Six Addiction, inequality and recovery
Abstract
This chapter examines the impact of health inequalities on addiction and how the recommendations of the Marmot Review could influence recovery from addiction. The Marmot Review was tasked with devising strategies to reduce health inequalities in England, and rightly recognised that health equality requires a debate about what kind of society we want to live in. When considering societies as a whole, there is a clearer relationship between poor health outcomes and societal inequality; rich countries with a steep social gradient do worse than poorer, but more equal, countries. The chapter first provides an overview of factors that cause substance use and addiction before discussing the role of early life adversity in addiction and the link between inequality and addiction. More specifically, it explains how unequal societies lead to addiction and goes on to consider how society can support recovery from addiction.
Abstract
This chapter examines the impact of health inequalities on addiction and how the recommendations of the Marmot Review could influence recovery from addiction. The Marmot Review was tasked with devising strategies to reduce health inequalities in England, and rightly recognised that health equality requires a debate about what kind of society we want to live in. When considering societies as a whole, there is a clearer relationship between poor health outcomes and societal inequality; rich countries with a steep social gradient do worse than poorer, but more equal, countries. The chapter first provides an overview of factors that cause substance use and addiction before discussing the role of early life adversity in addiction and the link between inequality and addiction. More specifically, it explains how unequal societies lead to addiction and goes on to consider how society can support recovery from addiction.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of tables and figures vii
- Notes on contributors viii
- Acknowledgements xvi
- Preface xix
-
Life chances
- The individual: growing into society 3
- Addressing inequalities in education: parallels with health 17
- Wholistic well-being and happiness: psychosocial-spiritual perspectives 29
- Nutrition in marginalised groups 41
-
Lifestyle challenges
- Alcohol-related harm and health inequalities 57
- Addiction, inequality and recovery 73
- Health and exercise in the community 87
- Health and well-being in the digital society 103
-
Social and community networks
- Building an inclusive community through social capital: the role of volunteering in reaching those on the edge of community 121
- Support for people with learning disabilities: promoting an inclusive community 135
- Community well-being programmes: reviewing ‘what works’ 149
- Looking through a realist lens: services provided by faith-based and third sector organisations 165
-
Employment and housing
- Social enterprise and the well-being of young people not in education, employment or training 181
- Health and homelessness 195
- Local authority perspectives on community planning and localism: a case study 211
-
Supporting people at the edge of the community
- Towards an integrative theory of homelessness and rough sleeping 227
- Mental health and multiple exclusions 241
- Brain injury and social exclusion 255
- What works to improve the health of the multiply excluded? 265
-
The socio-political environment
- Geopolitical aspects of health: austerity and health inequalities 281
- Health and well-being of refugees and migrants within a politically contested environment 299
- The Care Act 2014 311
- Health and social care in an age of austerity 325
- Conclusion 337
- Index 341
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of tables and figures vii
- Notes on contributors viii
- Acknowledgements xvi
- Preface xix
-
Life chances
- The individual: growing into society 3
- Addressing inequalities in education: parallels with health 17
- Wholistic well-being and happiness: psychosocial-spiritual perspectives 29
- Nutrition in marginalised groups 41
-
Lifestyle challenges
- Alcohol-related harm and health inequalities 57
- Addiction, inequality and recovery 73
- Health and exercise in the community 87
- Health and well-being in the digital society 103
-
Social and community networks
- Building an inclusive community through social capital: the role of volunteering in reaching those on the edge of community 121
- Support for people with learning disabilities: promoting an inclusive community 135
- Community well-being programmes: reviewing ‘what works’ 149
- Looking through a realist lens: services provided by faith-based and third sector organisations 165
-
Employment and housing
- Social enterprise and the well-being of young people not in education, employment or training 181
- Health and homelessness 195
- Local authority perspectives on community planning and localism: a case study 211
-
Supporting people at the edge of the community
- Towards an integrative theory of homelessness and rough sleeping 227
- Mental health and multiple exclusions 241
- Brain injury and social exclusion 255
- What works to improve the health of the multiply excluded? 265
-
The socio-political environment
- Geopolitical aspects of health: austerity and health inequalities 281
- Health and well-being of refugees and migrants within a politically contested environment 299
- The Care Act 2014 311
- Health and social care in an age of austerity 325
- Conclusion 337
- Index 341
