Overcoming family poverty and unemployment 'would prevent thousands of early deaths'

Policies to reduce inequalities in income and wealth, achieve full employment and eradicate child poverty have the potential to prevent more than 10,000 premature deaths each year - including more than a thousand child deaths.

A new study for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation into the 'health gap' between the richest and poorest parts of Britain, argues that even a modest redistribution of income and wealth would have a significant impact on mortality rates in the most disadvantaged areas.

Researchers from the Universities of Leeds and Bristol used data from every parliamentary constituency in England, Scotland and Wales to identify areas where the number of deaths of people under 65 is above the national average. This showed that the highest number of 'excess' deaths occur in the poorest areas, and that more children die in areas where child poverty is highest.

The importance of these links led them to conclude that if deprived areas moved closer to the characteristics of an average area, there would be fewer premature deaths. Government policies to tackle poverty and social exclusion could, therefore, have a major impact in making Britain more equal in health as well as income and wealth:

• Returning inequalities in income and wealth to their 1983 levels through redistribution would prevent around 7,500 annual deaths among the under 65s.

• Achieving 'full' employment (where no one was receiving long-term unemployment benefit) would prevent some 2,500 premature deaths a year.

• Reaching the Government's target of eradicating child poverty within a generation would save the lives of around 1,400 children under 15 each year.

These reductions in premature deaths would be concentrated in the most disadvantaged areas. Overall, the report estimates that a combination of all three policies would lead to a reduction of around 56 per cent of the 'excess' deaths in constituencies with above-average premature mortality rates.

Richard Mitchell, co-author of the study, said: "Our report suggests that the growth in inequalities in health can be slowed by successful social policies. Everyone in Britain would benefit, but the greatest benefit would be felt in those areas that currently have the highest mortality rates.

"In terms of numbers of lives saved, a mild redistribution of income would be the most valuable policy to implement. In terms of the proportion of lives saved, the eradication of child poverty would have the biggest impact."

An example: Birmingham Ladywood The constituency of Birmingham Ladywood contains higher levels of poverty and of premature deaths, illustrating the close correlation between the two.The researchers estimate that: A modest reduction of income and wealth inequalities could cut the 93 annual 'excess' deaths that were recorded in the constituency in the early 1990s by 17. Achieving full employment could reduce the annual number of excess deaths by a further 14. Eradicating child poverty in the constituency could save the lives of 8 children out of the 13 'excess' deaths each year among 0- to 14-year-olds.

Mary Shaw, co-author of the report, said: "The effects of poverty - and of poverty on health - are cumulative. Improving conditions for today's children will improve the life chances of succeeding generations. In that sense, the estimates we have made of the number of lives that could be saved are conservative."

Source : http://www.jrf.org.uk