Austerity and health: the impact in the UK and Europe

Austerity measures-reducing social spending and increasing taxation-hurts deprived groups the most. Less is known about the impact on health. In this short review, we evaluate the evidence of austerity's impact on health, through two main mechanisms: a 'social risk effect' of increasi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of public health 2017-10, Vol.27 (suppl_4), p.18-21
Main Authors: Stuckler, David, Reeves, Aaron, Loopstra, Rachel, Karanikolos, Marina, McKee, Martin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Delivery of Health Care - economics
Economic Recession
Food Supply
Health Policy - economics
Health Services Accessibility
Healthcare Disparities
Healthcare Financing
Homeless Persons
Humans
Mental Disorders
Protective Factors
Public Health
Supplement Papers
Unemployment
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Austerity measures-reducing social spending and increasing taxation-hurts deprived groups the most. Less is known about the impact on health. In this short review, we evaluate the evidence of austerity's impact on health, through two main mechanisms: a 'social risk effect' of increasing unemployment, poverty, homelessness and other socio-economic risk factors (indirect), and a 'healthcare effect' through cuts to healthcare services, as well as reductions in health coverage and restricting access to care (direct). We distinguish those impacts of economic crises from those of austerity as a response to it. Where possible, data from across Europe will be drawn upon, as well as more extensive analysis of the UK's austerity measures performed by the authors of this review.
ISSN:1101-1262
1464-360X
DOI:10.1093/eurpub/ckx167