Mothers-to-be in deprived areas are more likely to have premature babies.

Home care ‘’lottery’’ for the elderly.

When the NHS was set up in 1948, one of its When the NHS was set up in 1948, one of its founding principles was to provide a universal founding principles was to provide a universal health care service.health care service.

‘’Everybody, irrespective of means, age, sex or occupation shall have the opportunity to benefit from the best and most up-to-date medical services available’’ (Beveridge)

In other words, a clear commitment to provide a service of equal quality for everyone.

Despite the advances in medical care and technology and a universal system of health care there is growing evidence that:

inequalities in standards of health care provision exist inequalities in standards of health care provision exist throughout the UKthroughout the UK

inequalities in health still exist throughout the UK

these inequalities are getting worse.these inequalities are getting worse.

…..57 years on

Mortality = death Mortality = death Morbidity = illnessMorbidity = illness

Factors which influence health

Different groups and categories of people have very different experiences of these determinants of health.

These different experiences can have an effect on a person’s chances of achieving good health. Also when these experiences overlap, they can have a “snowballing” effect.

However, the problem is complex - there is no simple explanation as to why differences in mortality rates and morbidity rates exist amongst individuals or groups.

GeographicalGeographicallocationlocation

Working Working conditionsconditions

Socio-economicSocio-economicstatusstatus

EthnicEthnicoriginorigin

Personal Personal lifestylelifestyle

HereditaryHereditaryfactorsfactors

Gender/Gender/biological biological

factorsfactors

There are many influences on an

individual’s health.

Factors which influence health