People in poverty dying younger, study shows

MEANINGFUL targets for reducing inequalities in healthcare must be set to prevent people in poverty becoming ill more often and dying early, a conference heard yesterday.

The Combat Poverty Agency meeting, part of the consultation process on the next National Action Plan against Poverty and Social Exclusion, was discussing the setting, implementing and monitoring of goals to tackle health inequalities in Ireland.

It is the first of five Poverty is Bad for Your Health seminars which aim to address the problems of ill health and premature death experienced by people in poverty.

The state agency’s director Helen Johnston said a study by Combat Poverty showed more than two-thirds of the families interviewed about what living in poverty was like had health problems.

“People affected by ill-health were more likely to live on a low income because they were unable to gain employment or their employment experience was sporadic due to ill health.

“The state of people’s physical health was connected to their generally poor quality of life.

“For many, stress, isolation and depression were induced by lack of money, and an inadequate income made a healthy diet difficult,” she said.

“It is vital the policy choices we make have a positive impact on the health outcomes of people in poverty, and the targets and related indicators we set are appropriate and meaningful.”

The meeting at Croke Park, Dublin, looked at the success of, and challenges presented by, Government targets set in 2002 and what lessons could be learnt or the new series of goals.

Addressing the conference, Minister for State at the Department of Health Brian Lenihan said some of the key targets, such as reducing the difference between socio-economic groups for low birth weight rates and for cancer mortality, were not easily achieved in the short term, but were important areas to focus on.

“Whatever targets are chosen for the next Action Plan, I think a key issue will be the degree to which people experiencing poverty and social exclusion have equity of access to, and benefit from, the health services,” Mr Lenihan said.

“One of the challenges facing all of us who have an interest in reducing health inequalities and poverty is the need to take into account the broad social determinants of health.

“While access to quality health services has an important role to play in improving health in our population and in reducing health inequalities, the health system on its own cannot do this.

“Income, employment, education, housing, transport, physical environment, safe and socially supportive communities and an environment that supports healthy lifestyle choices are also important ingredients,” he said.

Mr Lenihan told the conference it was important to work across sectors on a national and local level to coordinate efforts to meet targets on reducing health inequalities.