Explaining health inequalities in Australia: the contribution of income, wealth and employment

Joanne Flavel; Martin McKee; Fisaha Haile Tesfay; Connie Musolino; Toby Freeman; Helen Van Eyk; Fran Baum

doi:10.1071/PY21285

Explaining health inequalities in Australia: the contribution of income, wealth and employment

Joanne Flavel, Martin McKee, Fisaha Haile Tesfay, Connie Musolino, Toby Freeman, Helen Van Eyk, Fran Baum

College of Medicine and Public Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

Background: Studies show widespread widening of socioeconomic and health inequalities. Comprehensive primary health care has a focus on equity and to enact this requires more data on drivers of the increase in inequities. Hence, we examined trends in the distribution of income, wealth, employment and health in Australia.

Methods: We analysed data from the Public Health Information Development Unit and Australian Bureau of Statistics. Inequalities were assessed using rate ratios and the slope index of inequality.

Results: We found that the social gradient in health, income, wealth and labour force participation has steepened in Australia, and inequalities widened between the quintile living in the most disadvantaged areas and the quintile living in the least disadvantaged areas.

Conclusion: Widening income, wealth and employment inequalities have been accompanied by increasing health inequalities, and have reinforced and amplified adverse health effects, leading to increased mortality inequality. Effective comprehensive primary health care needs to be informed by an understanding of structural factors driving economic and health inequities.

Original language	English
Number of pages	8
Journal	Australian Journal of Primary Health
Early online date	13 Jul 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1071/PY21285
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 13 Jul 2022

Keywords

Australia
economic inequality
health equity
health inequalities
social class
social determinants of health
social gradient
socioeconomic factors

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1071/PY21285Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Final published versionFinal published version, 1.14 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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abstract = "Background: Studies show widespread widening of socioeconomic and health inequalities. Comprehensive primary health care has a focus on equity and to enact this requires more data on drivers of the increase in inequities. Hence, we examined trends in the distribution of income, wealth, employment and health in Australia. Methods: We analysed data from the Public Health Information Development Unit and Australian Bureau of Statistics. Inequalities were assessed using rate ratios and the slope index of inequality. Results: We found that the social gradient in health, income, wealth and labour force participation has steepened in Australia, and inequalities widened between the quintile living in the most disadvantaged areas and the quintile living in the least disadvantaged areas. Conclusion: Widening income, wealth and employment inequalities have been accompanied by increasing health inequalities, and have reinforced and amplified adverse health effects, leading to increased mortality inequality. Effective comprehensive primary health care needs to be informed by an understanding of structural factors driving economic and health inequities. ",

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author = "Joanne Flavel and Martin McKee and Tesfay, {Fisaha Haile} and Connie Musolino and Toby Freeman and {Van Eyk}, Helen and Fran Baum",

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AU - Tesfay, Fisaha Haile

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AU - Freeman, Toby

AU - Van Eyk, Helen

AU - Baum, Fran

PY - 2022/7/13

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N2 - Background: Studies show widespread widening of socioeconomic and health inequalities. Comprehensive primary health care has a focus on equity and to enact this requires more data on drivers of the increase in inequities. Hence, we examined trends in the distribution of income, wealth, employment and health in Australia. Methods: We analysed data from the Public Health Information Development Unit and Australian Bureau of Statistics. Inequalities were assessed using rate ratios and the slope index of inequality. Results: We found that the social gradient in health, income, wealth and labour force participation has steepened in Australia, and inequalities widened between the quintile living in the most disadvantaged areas and the quintile living in the least disadvantaged areas. Conclusion: Widening income, wealth and employment inequalities have been accompanied by increasing health inequalities, and have reinforced and amplified adverse health effects, leading to increased mortality inequality. Effective comprehensive primary health care needs to be informed by an understanding of structural factors driving economic and health inequities.

AB - Background: Studies show widespread widening of socioeconomic and health inequalities. Comprehensive primary health care has a focus on equity and to enact this requires more data on drivers of the increase in inequities. Hence, we examined trends in the distribution of income, wealth, employment and health in Australia. Methods: We analysed data from the Public Health Information Development Unit and Australian Bureau of Statistics. Inequalities were assessed using rate ratios and the slope index of inequality. Results: We found that the social gradient in health, income, wealth and labour force participation has steepened in Australia, and inequalities widened between the quintile living in the most disadvantaged areas and the quintile living in the least disadvantaged areas. Conclusion: Widening income, wealth and employment inequalities have been accompanied by increasing health inequalities, and have reinforced and amplified adverse health effects, leading to increased mortality inequality. Effective comprehensive primary health care needs to be informed by an understanding of structural factors driving economic and health inequities.

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Explaining health inequalities in Australia: the contribution of income, wealth and employment

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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