Poverty, Region and Health PDF

Students Poverty, Region and Health Mary Shaw et al (1999) - regional poverty – morality rate doubled than the national average. Shaw and Dorling (2000) estimated that nearly 12 000 lives a year could be saved each year in the UK if child poverty was re...

Students Poverty, Region and Health Mary Shaw et al (1999) - regional poverty – morality rate doubled than the national average. Shaw and Dorling (2000) estimated that nearly 12 000 lives a year could be saved each year in the UK if child poverty was reduced. Marxist perspective: link between poverty and health. It is blamed by capitalism. Money is concentrated in very few hands – this caused inequality in health, materialists fail to find the origins of poverty. Dr John Collee “the secret is: be rich” is quite bleak to the reality of the wealth gap which is generally associated with ill health. ONS (2014) revealed that the wealthiest 1% owned as much as the poorest 55% combined in the UK. Also, 7% of the British population or 4 million controlled 85% of the country’s wealth. 1997-2013 polarised in wealth between the rich and poor The Resolution Foundation notes that the top 1% of earners increased their share of income to 10% while the bottom 50% of earners saw their share reduced from 19% to 18%, second only to the US, in which this level of inequality. Steve Field argues that people neglect their own health therefore the risk of ill health rises and parental influence is important as it would provide their child’s eating habits; fast food would cause obesity and premature death. - He was criticised that the poor was to blame for their misfortune Marmont argues that social and economic circumstances create people’s identities and therefore their standard of health. - Level of Deprivation - Stress of poverty - Overcrowding - Unemployment Stern – favours government intervention to close the gap in health, therefore ill health Students Students Social Policy Marxists argue that British governments had worsen poverty as: Thatcher government had closed many heavy industries in the North such as coal mining and steel production, consequently a decline in employment. [1997-2015] Both the Labour Governments under Major, Blair and Brown (1997-2010); and the Coalition Government under Cameron and Clegg both failed to decline child poverty. Economic globalisation caused mass unemployment, therefore ill health and low to no income Businesses and manufacturers are relocated to LICs to make even greater profits, therefore less employment in the UK, ill health and poverty in urban cities/areas. Oxfam Case Study 2013: - From 1993 to 2008 it saw 15 years of economic growth, underpinned by the socio- economic reforms of the 1980s. - 7.3 million people in 1979 to 13.5 million in 2008 – in poverty - UK now ranks as one of the most unequal countries in the OECD o income inequality index of 0.52, greater than the United States (0.49) o Ratio of 12:1 in 2008 of income, in contrast with 8:1 in 1985 o Developing nations 9:1 - The 2008 financial crisis, followed by the austerity measures had severely damaged the UK, and its wealth gap widens historic highs of 12:1 - Economic stagnation, the rising cost of living, cuts to social security and public services, falling incomes, and rising unemployment have combined to create a deeply damaging situation - half a million people using food banks annually - 900,000 in 2012 in poverty, 1 in 4 British children are expected to live in poverty - 40-year low of 4.7% in 2004 [unemployment], in 2013 it stood 7.8% - a lower inflation index, the Consumer Price Index (currently 2.9 per cent), instead of the Retail Price Index (3.3 per cent) - to match the cost of living - average hourly wages have fallen in real terms by 5.5 per cent since mid-2010, people who want permanent jobs are increasingly unable to find any, this doubled since 2008 Students Students - 72% of the net personal tax increases and benefit cuts are affecting women - female unemployment has risen from 678,000 to 1.08 million in 2013 - very richest are faring much better since 2008 - Watered down taxes designed to impose on the super-rich, such as income tax, had failed to make the UK more equal - Austerity caused GREATER inequality among the population, becoming one of the most unequal developed countries, which the rich gain disproportionately from new growth - HARDSHIP faced by people with low incomes - AUSTERITY CAUSED POLARISATION IN WEALTH Marxists have drawn particular attention to workers who die or are injured at work - their employer breaks Health and Safety laws. 500 workers die at work annually, and additional thousands were injured Exposure of toxic conditions/substances also contribute to poor health Respiratory diseases are common [dust inhaled] - contributing to ill health, low-paid job. Middle-class access to private healthcare – bypasses the NHS waiting list – shortage of staff undermines low-income households and individuals to access to healthcare therefore poverty is contributing to poor health. Marmont and Shipley show there is no clear threshold which affect people’s life span or morality rate. Generally, the “life expectancy gradient” shows that higher earners live longer than low-income earners, with less senior management jobs. Davey Smith argues that job satisfaction or lack thereof has an effect on people’s health. Students