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Reducing Health Inequalities for all New Zealanders
What are inequalities in health?
Health inequalities
Health inequalities can be defined as differences in health status or in the distribution of health determinants between different population groups that are avoidable or unjust. For example, differences in mortality rates between Māori and non-Māori or differences in cancer survival rates between Māori and non-Māori.
Health inequity
Health inequity is a health inequality that is unjust or unfair, for example the unequal distribution of resources. However, not all health inequities are unfair, for example younger people being healthier compared to elderly people.
References
P Braveman and S Gruskin “Defining equity in health”
J. Epidemiol.Community Health 2003; 57; 254-258 doi: 10. 1136/jech.57.4.254
What is the evidence of health inequalities?
Research indicates that the poorer you are the worse your health. In colonised countries, such as New Zealand, indigenous people have poorer health than others.
Understanding the nature and extent of health inequalities is fundamental to us taking appropriate action. Some helpful publications are available on the Ministry of Health's website:
Decades of Disparity: Ethnic Mortality Trends in New Zealand 1980-1999
provides evidence of inequality in mortality trends.
Decades of Disparity II: Socioeconomic mortality trends in New Zealand, 1981-1999
Decades of Disparity III: Ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities in mortality, New Zealand 1981-1999
Tracking Disparity: Trends in ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities in mortality, 1981-2004
Tatau Kahukura Māori Health Chart Book
Tupu Ola Moui: The Pacific Health Chart Book 2004
Unequal Impact: Māori and Non-Māori Cancer Statistics 1996 – 2001
Monitoring Health Inequality Through Neighbourhood Life Expectancy
Page last updated: 28 August 2007