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.