The Rich Get Healthier...and the Poor Get Poorly?

Is there a direct, causal link between social class and poor health? This article in the Guardian reports on the findings of a new survey by the King’s Fund health thinktank which suggests that there is a clear and widening gap in the health of people in England as measured by their social class.

The survey looks at the propensity of people to engage in “damaging behaviours” which are identified as smoking, excess alcohol use, poor diet and sedentary lifestyles.

The key findings are outlined in the article and it is well worth reading. Some key points that I jotted down include:

England’s richest citizens live seven years longer on average than their poorer neighbours

People with no educational qualifications were more than five times as likely as those with degrees to engage in four key damaging behaviours in 2008, compared with three times as likely in 2003.

Reductions in the percentage of people engaging in three or four risky behaviours were seen mainly among those in higher socioeconomic and educational groups

Those from poorer backgrounds or with less education are more likely than others to develop long-term conditions such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease earlier and to experience them more severely