Global Health Inequalities. What Factors Contribute Significantly to Them?

Healthful Vitality | 10/01/2021 | By NP Contributor | Global Health Inequalities

Many factors influence health like economic factors, education, social factors, gender, and ethnicity. These factors are prevalent in every nation, whether high income or low income. Certain groups in every country have poor access to healthcare and are thus at a greater risk.

These global inequalities have considerable costs for individuals and societies. However, health inequalities generally result from poorly implemented policies, and thus they can be overcome with specific measures.

One may have various explanations for these existing inequalities. Nonetheless, it remains the fact that these disparities result in different health outcomes for different population groups.

Factors Contribute Significantly to Global Health Inequalities

Some factors contribute significantly to global health inequalities than others:

Income

Income is the single most factor contributing to health inequalities. Managing health when resources are scarce is a challenge for both individuals and governments. Income also affects how people make various choices. People with low income may live in a poor environment. Further, children of low-income individuals are more likely to get ill.

It is vital to understand that income is a significant cause of health disparities, even in high-income societies. It is because, in such conditions, the costs of healthcare are much higher.

Education

Education affects both the access to health care and the ability of any nation to provide health care to individuals. Improving education may help improve healthcare even in low-income nations. In many countries, or even within the same nation, there may be a considerable difference in access to education among various sections of society, and thus to healthcare.

Housing

People living in slums are naturally exposed to a greater number of infections, but not only that, they are at a greater risk of other diseases like cardiovascular ailments. In addition, poor housing is also associated with a higher risk of depression, anxiety, and other disorders.

Environment

Another major cause of health disparities and inequalities as some individuals live in highly polluted cities. Many such places are located in mid to high-income countries. However, high exposure to pollutants, like air pollutants, considerably increases the risk of respiratory diseases.

Transportation

Studies show that children living in deprived areas are much more likely to die in road accidents than those living in less deprived areas. However, it is not all. People in deprived areas also do not have access to healthcare due to lack of transport.

Work

Work is long known to be a cause of health inequalities. This is because many people are exposed to hazardous materials at a job, thus resulting in a shorter lifespan. However, that is not all; unemployment is even a more significant cause of health inequalities.

Ethnicity

For various reasons, certain ethnic minorities may not get access to healthcare or have poor access. It certainly increases the risk of diseases. In developed nations, migrants may not have similar access to healthcare as a resident of the country. In some religious societies, there may be discrimination based on ethnic background and beliefs.

Gender

Finally, gender is also a risk factor. Generally, females are at greater risk in some parts of the world.

To conclude, global health equalities considerably reduce the lifespan in certain population groups. Countering them may help.

Related: 5 Biggest Threats to Global Health Progress.