Report shows health inequalities

A new report has shown major health inequlities in both the Republic and Northern Ireland.

It has also shown that the North is doing better than the South interms of smoking rates and cervical cancer screening.

The report, commisioned by the Department of Health in Dublin, presents a North/South profile of physical and mental health, lifestyles and the experience of health services.
 
Some of the key findings included:
 
*Almost twice as many women in Northern Ireland (30%) had been tested for cervical cancer in the previous 12 months compared to the Republic (16%). Women in higher social classes in the Republic were significantly more likely to have been tested than women in lower social classes;

*A statistically significant higher percentage of respondents in the Republic of Ireland (29%) were current smokers compared to Northern Ireland (26%);

*One-quarter of respondents in both the Republic (24%) and Northern Ireland (25%) were classified as 'obese' according to their BMI. A further 39% in the Republic and 36% in Northern Ireland were 'overweight'.

Chief Executive of the Institute of Public Health in Ireland Dr Jane Wilde said said the report provides a comprehensive snapshot of health on the island of Ireland.

The IPH, however, expressed concern about the implications of some of the report's findings.
 
Dr Wilde said she was deeply concerned by the report’s findings in relation to health inequalities.

"Throughout the island, poorer people experienced an excessive burden of chronic illness, disability and mental ill-health. This report suggests that health services in both jurisdictions, but in the Republic of Ireland in particular, need to enhance their ability to diagnose and manage conditions which particularly affect the less advantaged, including high blood pressure, tobacco addiction and mental illness.”

Other key findings of the report were:

*The majority of respondents in both jurisdictions (90% in the Republic and 86% in Northern Ireland) rated their quality of life as 'very good' or 'good', compared with only 5% in both jurisdictions rated their quality of life as 'poor' or 'very poor'.

*One in 10 respondents in both jurisdictions (RoI: 10%; NI: 13%) were diagnosed with a chronic illness at some time. The most frequently reported diagnosed chronic condition in both the Republic and Northern Ireland was asthma, followed by diabetes.

*Three-quarters of respondents in the Republic (74%) and Northern Ireland (73%) had visited a general practitioner (GP) in the last year. Women and older people were more likely to visit their GP in both jurisdictions.

*Breast cancer screening services for women aged 50-64 years were also compared. Similar proportions, about 1 in 3 women, in the Republic (35%) and Northern Ireland (29%) had been screened for breast cancer in the previous 12 months. The percentage difference was not statistically significant. Women in higher social class groups in the Republic were more likely to have been screened.

*A statistically significant higher percentage of respondents in the Republic of Ireland (29%) were current smokers compared to Northern Ireland (26%). Smoking was more prevalent in lower social classes in both jurisdictions, with over one-third of respondents in lower social classes being current smokers (RoI: 37%; NI: 36%).
 
*One in 10 respondents in the Republic of Ireland (10%) reported drinking above the recommended upper limit (i.e. 14 units of alcohol for women, 21 units of alcohol for men). In Northern Ireland, one-fifth of respondents (19%) reported drinking above the recommended upper limit.

*In terms of people’s immediate social environment, rubbish or litter lying around was seen as the most common social problem in both jurisdictions. This was followed by vandalism, graffiti and other deliberate damage to property; by exposure to people being drunk in public; and, lastly, by a very small number,  insults or attacks to do with a person's race or colour.

The report is available online here

[Posted: Fri 02/10/2009]