Covid has 'inflamed' health inequalities – Social Justice Ireland 

Chief executive of Social Justice Ireland Dr Seán Healy: 'The legacy of the pandemic could continue to impact member states with weaker or more unequal health provision leading to increased health problems among those who have missed out on treatment as a result of the pandemic.' File picture: Eric Luke / The Irish Times

The Covid-19 pandemic has “inflamed” already existing health inequalities in EU member states, a new report has found.

Social Justice Ireland published a report on Tuesday that examines the pandemic’s impact on healthcare accessibility.

It found a downward trend in unmet need for healthcare across the EU.

“Unfortunately, there has been an enormous rise in reported unmet medical needs – jumping from one-in-50 in 2019 to closer to one-in-five in 2020,” the report states.

“The most recent data confirms a dramatic increase in pre-pandemic trends of rising unmet health needs among those on low incomes.” 

Large inequalities in life expectancy persist not only by gender – women still live nearly 5.5 years more than men on average – but also by socioeconomic status, the report states.

On average across EU countries, 30-year-old men with a low education level can expect to live about seven years less than those with a university degree or the equivalent.

Large inequalities also exist in how people experience chronic disease.

In the EU, 27% of people aged 65 and over in the highest income quintile reported at least two chronic diseases, compared with 46% for those in the lowest income quintile.

Key challenges

A majority of member states – 22 in total – now face key challenges around the provision of accessible and cost-effective healthcare, it concluded.

Michelle Murphy, research and policy analyst at Social Justice Ireland said: "The issue of access to healthcare and of reducing health inequalities has come absolutely central to ensuring an effective, equitable and lasting recovery."

Dr Seán Healy, chief executive of Social Justice Ireland, highlighted the discrepancies between those on higher incomes, compared with people on low-incomes.

“Despite incremental improvements in recent years, it remains clear that low-income people are amongst those, along with certain other groups, who will require a special focus to ensure that they benefit from general improvements as part of the wider post-pandemic recovery,” he said.

“In terms of unmet health needs within the EU, there is a clear income gradient. The legacy of the pandemic could continue to impact member states with weaker or more unequal health provision leading to increased health problems among those who have missed out on treatment as a result of the pandemic.”