Health inequalities as policy issues -- reflections on ethics, policy and public health.

Social class differences in health have been found in all societies that have looked for them. In spite of an apparently stable historical pattern of upper social classes living longer and faring better than lower ones, there is a certain amount of variation in the size, trends and nature, even the...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Sociology of Health & Illness Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 1 - 20
Autor principal: Vagero D
Formato: Journal Article
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell Jan1995
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=107364615&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ccm
    uiTerm: 107364615
    longDbName: CINAHL Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    dissinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        01419889
        7RA
      jtl: Sociology of Health & Illness
      issn: 01419889
      maglogo: Y
    pubinfo:
      dt: Jan1995
      vid: 17
      iid: 1
      pid: 480
      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
      place: Malden, Massachusetts
    artinfo:
      ui:
        107364615
        107364615
        1996013006
        10.1111/1467-9566.ep10934470
        107364615
      ppf: 1
      ppct: 19
      formats:
      tig:
        atl: Health inequalities as policy issues -- reflections on ethics, policy and public health.
      aug:
        au: Vagero D
        affil: Swedish Institute for Social Research, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
      sug:
        subj:
          Social Class
          Health Status
          Health Policy
          Health Services Accessibility
          Social Justice
          Europe
          Human Rights
          Social Values
          Health Resource Allocation
          Public Health
          Politics
          Poverty
          Public Policy
      ab: Social class differences in health have been found in all societies that have looked for them. In spite of an apparently stable historical pattern of upper social classes living longer and faring better than lower ones, there is a certain amount of variation in the size, trends and nature, even the direction of such differences, indicating that they might be modified by policy and social change. Social class differences in health, as well as other health inequalities, have in fact become a part of the political agenda. But policymaking in this area is weak and unconvincing in most countries. There is little consensus as to why policies to reduce health inequalities are important. Should they be pursued for the reason that health is a 'right', as suggested by some writers, and often in the political rhetoric? Or because they are important for a country's level of health in general? The purpose of this article is firstly, to examine some of the moral justifications for the reduction of health inequalities and, secondly, to suggest that the public health policy agenda can be improved by focusing on the public health significance of health inequalities. It is argued that the reduction of health inequalities may represent a great potential for improving the health of the population, but there is a moral justification for equal distribution of health risks and health resources even if this did not contribute greatly to improved general health.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
    refInfo:
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N