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Health Inequality

All articles tagged with #health inequality

health20 days ago•4 min saved

Young adults drive fastest rise in obesity diagnoses in England, study finds

New obesity diagnoses are rising fastest among England's young adults, according to a Lancet study analyzing 55 million NHS records. In 2024-25, 30-39-year-olds had 24.1 new obesity cases per 1,000 people (up from 20.3 in 2019-20), and 20-29-year-olds had 20.3 per 1,000 (up from 17.5), while rates in older groups fell and overall obesity prevalence rose from 26.2% to 30.3%. The researchers cite factors such as a pervasive unhealthy food environment, advertising, and cost-of-living and pandemic-related stress, with earlier onset more common in non-white groups and more deprived areas. They note that access to weight-loss drugs under NHS constraints could shape these patterns. The findings raise concerns about long-term health risks and widening inequalities, prompting ongoing government action on obesity.

via BBC|

#england #health #health-inequality

health4 months ago•10 min saved

Living with Prostate Cancer: PSA testing, treatment hurdles, and a UK screening debate

UK men face rising prostate cancer diagnoses while a National Screening Committee says broad PSA screening isn’t justified due to risks of overdiagnosis and overtreatment, even as awareness grows and access varies by socioeconomic status. The piece follows men like Bulteel, Pennington, Walsh and Hemans, illustrating how PSA testing can detect cancer early but also lead to difficult treatment paths (surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy) and significant emotional and relational strain, highlighting disparities in access and the push for targeted screening for at‑risk groups.

via The Guardian|

#health #health-inequality #hormone-therapy

life-and-style4 months ago•30 min saved

Weight-loss jabs sharpen a class divide among middle-aged women

New Health Foundation data shows middle-class women aged 30–50 are the dominant private-prescription users of weight‑loss injections like Ozempic and Mounjaro, prompting debate over affordability, ethics, and long-term health effects as researchers highlight side effects and a growing class divide in obesity treatment.

via The Times|

#glp-1 #health-inequality #life-and-style

health9 months ago•6 min saved

Innovative Blood Pressure Measurement Method Promises to Save Lives

Scientists at the University of Exeter have developed a new, more accurate method to estimate arm blood pressure from ankle measurements, which could improve diagnosis and treatment for individuals unable to have their blood pressure measured traditionally, potentially preventing thousands of misdiagnoses annually worldwide.

via SciTechDaily|

#ankle-readings #blood-pressure #health

health9 months ago•6 min saved

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Speed Varies with Wealth

A national audit reveals significant disparities in prostate cancer diagnosis in England, with wealthier men and certain ethnic groups, such as Black men, being diagnosed more frequently and earlier. Campaigners advocate for targeted screening programs to address these inequalities, despite NHS advisories likely rejecting routine screening due to concerns over accuracy and overtreatment. The upcoming decision by the UK National Screening Committee will be crucial in shaping future prostate cancer detection strategies.

via The Times|

#early-diagnosis #health #health-inequality

health1 year ago•3 min saved

Global Diabetes Crisis: 800 Million Affected, 25% from India

A global study published in The Lancet reveals that the number of people with diabetes has doubled over the past 30 years, reaching over 800 million worldwide, with significant increases in low and middle-income countries. The study highlights health inequalities, with more than half of diabetes cases concentrated in India, China, the US, and Pakistan. Despite available treatments, many in low-income regions lack access, exacerbating health disparities. Experts call for policies promoting healthy diets and exercise to curb the diabetes epidemic, which is linked to rising obesity and an aging population.

via The Guardian|

#diabetes #global-health #health

health-and-wellness2 years ago•7 min saved

"Unlocking Better Sleep: Tips for Health and Well-being"

Despite the glorification of minimal sleep in hustle culture, scientific evidence shows that everyone needs 7-9 hours of sleep for optimal functioning. Economic stress, poor health, and mental health issues are major contributors to sleep deprivation, particularly in low-income, rural areas. Structural changes like better healthcare access and income-support programs are needed to address the root causes of sleep inequality, rather than relying on individual sleep hacks.

via Business Insider|

#economic-stress #health-and-wellness #health-inequality

health2 years ago•9 min saved

"Rising Lifespans Face Health Challenges from Pollution, Lifestyle, and Ageing"

A new study published in The Lancet predicts a significant increase in global life expectancy by 2050, driven by effective public health strategies and a shift from communicable to non-communicable diseases. The study forecasts a rise of 4.9 years for males and 4.2 years for females, with the largest gains in countries with currently lower life expectancies. Despite longer lives, more years will be spent in poor health due to non-communicable diseases and associated risk factors like obesity and high blood pressure. The study emphasizes the need for policy interventions to mitigate these risks and reduce health disparities.

via SciTechDaily|

#disease-burden #global-life-expectancy #health

health-food2 years ago•2 min saved

"Link Between Unhealthy UK Eateries and Deprived Areas Revealed"

A study from the University of Cambridge found that restaurants and takeaways with the unhealthiest menus are more likely to be located in deprived areas, while tourist hotspots have the healthiest food outlets. The research, which examined menus from almost 55,000 food outlets, revealed a clear link between menu healthiness and levels of deprivation. The study also highlighted the "double burden" faced by people in deprived areas, where they have more food outlets but also less healthy options. This contributes to health inequalities in the UK, particularly for individuals in lower socioeconomic positions.

via The Guardian|

#deprivation #health-food #health-inequality

health3 years ago•4 min saved

WHO Launches Massive Database for Equal Global Health Care

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new database, the Health Inequality Data Repository, which allows users to compare how people of differing incomes, ages, genders, and rural-versus-urban settings compare on more than 2,000 measures of health. The database features 11 million data points pulled from 15 global statistics sources. However, health officials at the press conference mainly stressed how much information was still missing from it. The point of the database is not merely to track the extent of health inequality across countries but to galvanize efforts to address it.

via NPR|

#data-collection #database #global-health

health3 years ago•3 min saved

WHO Unveils Largest Collection of Global Health Inequality Data.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the Health Inequality Data Repository, which is the most comprehensive global collection of publicly available disaggregated data and evidence on population health and its determinants. The repository includes nearly 11 million data points and consists of 59 datasets from over 15 sources, covering topics such as COVID-19, reproductive, maternal and child health, immunization, HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, nutrition, health care, non-communicable diseases, and environmental health. The data reveal important inequality patterns and WHO is calling on countries to adopt routine health inequality monitoring, make disaggregated data publicly available, expand data collection, and increase capacity for analysis and reporting.

via World Health Organization|

#data-repository #disaggregated-data #global-health