Health Inequalities

Introduction

A key role of public health is to reduce health inequalities and health inequities. Measuring inequalities accurately is essential to targeting effort and monitoring change. However, this is still a complex area with a number of controversies.

Efforts to reduce inequalities include:

While working to the same end, these are not always cohesively linked in organisations

Strategies to address health inequalities have, in recent years, focused on the need for partnership working which is vital in addressing some of the social, economic and environmental factors which contribute to poor health.

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North East at a glance

The health of people in the North East is generally worse than for England as a whole. Compared with other regions, this region has the worst levels of deprivation and life expectancy, and the highest rate of early deaths from cancer.

The North East continues to make rapid progress in addressing health inequalities. Death rates from heart disease and cancer have reduced substantially over recent years, falling faster than for England overall.

Compared with England, the region has a high rate of physically active children and a slightly higher rate of children achieving at least five A* to C grade GCSEs.

The North East's rates of smoking in pregnancy and breast feeding initiation are the worst in England. binge drinking and adult smoking in England.

However, The region has the highest estimated levels of adult NHS Stop Smoking Services in the North East are the most successful in England.

'Better Health, Fairer Health', the region's first ever health and well-being strategy was launched in February 2008. It consists of ten key themes and aims to make people living in the region the healthiest in the country within a generation. Actions include setting up a regional office for the safe consumption of alcohol based upon the highly successful 'Fresh - Smoke Free North East' model.

The regional health and well-being strategy, 'Better Health, Fairer Health', is available from. www.healthprofiles.info www.go-ne.gov.uk