Health inequalities in Ireland: An often unclear but ever present danger

Frank Houghton, Sharon Houghton

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Social and spatial inequalities in health status are pervasive throughout Ireland. Evidence of this reality can be seen across a wide range of contexts, but is clearest in relation to minority groups, such as the Irish Traveller population. Inequalities in health care provision are equally present and damaging. Irish health services not only clearly exhibit a two-tier health care system, but current government policy seeks to maintain this fundamental inequality. Ostensibly, the Irish government continues to make claims towards eradicating inequalities in health and health care provision. Having examined indepth evidence of inequalities in both health services and health status, literature based evidence of how the Irish Government has consistently and systematically attempted to undermine and suppress this topic will be explored. Significant Government intervention is required to address both of these topics. However, the Irish Government prefers to adopt a predominantly laissez-faire approach to such matters. Although there are currently significant proposals to reduce health inequalities in Ireland, it is unclear how in the current adverse economic circumstances these can be described as anything other than aspirational or diversionary.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIreland
Subtitle of host publicationEconomic, Political and Social Issues
PublisherNova Science Publishers, Inc.
Pages47-61
Number of pages15
ISBN (Print)9781622579242
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2013

Keywords

  • Health inequalities
  • Health information
  • Health services
  • Ireland
  • Morbidity
  • Mortality

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