Welfare Reform on the Web (July 2000): Public Health - UK

INCOME INEQUALITY, SOCIAL COHESION AND THE HEALTH STATUS OF POPULATIONS: THE ROLE OF NEO-LIBERALISM

D. Coburn

Social Science and Medicine, vol. 51, 2000, p. 135-146

Argues that there is a connection between market-oriented political doctrines, income inequality and lowered social cohesion. These neo-liberal doctrines produce both higher income inequality and lowered social cohesion. Part of the negative effect of neo-liberalism on health status is due to its undermining of the welfare state. The welfare state may have direct effects on health as well as being one of the underlying causes of social cohesion.

A PARTNERSHIP FOR HEALTH

P. Molyneux

Housing, Care and Support, vol. 3, Mar. 2000, p. 13-15

Social housing agencies are natural partners in health improvement planning and action, in identifying the health needs of their tenants, as service providers in their own right, and as agents for community development and area regeneration. If they can keep focused on outcomes and play a meaningful part in improving the health of the poorest in society, it may be possible to shift the focus of the health debate to prevention and away from acute care.

SPREAD THE WEALTH

W. Moore

Community Practitioner, vol. 73, 2000, p. 596

Although public health campaigners have applauded the Labour government's commitment to end child poverty in 20 years, there is doubt that this objective can be achieved without explicit redistribution of wealth.