What impacts on Health

Text Size: [Large] [Normal]

You are here : Home > Health Professionals > HIA Home Page >What impacts on Health

What Impacts on Health

Poor health, illness, disease, and early death have many causes. Whilst some are genetic and others the result of individual life style choices, the evidence shows that some social groups have much higher rates of illness, disease and death than others. The causes of these health inequalities lie in the wider structures of societies and communities: in living and working conditions; in the air and water quality and the amount and type of noise in an area; in levels of education and access to employment. Figure one shows the main socio-economic determinants of health as "layers of influence".

Graphic illustrating determinants of health

Many of these determinants of health lie beyond the reach of health service providers, in the social and economic fabric of society. Improving the health of a society depends on reducing the health inequalities arising from these socio-economic determinants. This means involving those making decisions about housing, business, transport, leisure, education, etc. to influence health directly (through better housing conditions, safer streets and safer employment) and to influence health indirectly (through more housing and more secure housing, through more employment and better access to secure employment).

HIA provides a structured approach for those in non-health services and sectors to assess the health implications of their decisions for local populations and to contribute to health improvement.

But many determinants affect each other. The quality and suitability of housing may be influenced by employment status, which in turn is affected by education and access to transport. Loneliness, social isolation, and fear of crime are affected by the design and quality of the built environment, mobility, and income. Income, education, and social networks are linked to levels of exercise, adequacy of diet and vulnerability to substance abuse.

HIA, by bringing people together in multi-agency teams across a number of service areas and sectors, enables some of these complex relationships to be captured and incorporated into decision-making.

"What greater inequality can there be than to die younger and to suffer more illness throughout your life as a result of where you live, what job you do and how much your parents earned?"

Yvette Cooper Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health

Extract from Rotherham Guide to HIA, 2003

Top of page

Page last updated: 14/11/03

By: David Sutcliffe, Health Informatics Department