Why Health Inequalities Persist in Europe
ALEXANDER KENTIKELENIS HAS COAUTHORED A REPORT FOR THE FOUNDATION FOR EUROPEAN PROGRESSIVE STUDIES, ESTIMATING THE COSTS OF HEALTH INEQUALITIES AT 980 BLN EUROS PER YEARHealth inequalities not only persist, but are often growing both between and within European countries, according to Health Inequalities in Europe. Setting the Stage for Progressive Policy Action, a report published by the Foundation for European Progressive Studies and co-authored by Alexander Kentikelenis, Assistant Professor at Bocconi’s Department of Social and Political Sciences.
«The report is a collection of academic evidence on the state of health inequalities across the European Union, and is intended to help formulate policies to tackle them. This is important for increasing convergence between countries and cohesion within countries», Prof. Kentikelenis says.
Life expectancy and mortality continue to be better in Western Europe than in Eastern Europe, while stark social gradients in morbidity, mortality, and life expectancy are recorded, depending on one’s social position (level of education, occupation, income).
The report highlights some links between economic policies and health. First of all, as insecure and temporary employment are associated with worse health, «labor market deregulation may contribute to health inequalities», Prof. Kentikelenis and his co-authors (Timon Forster and Clare Bambra) write. Furthermore, «cuts in government spending on social protection have been linked to higher health inequalities».
Finally, the authors report the costs of health inequalities in the European Union to be a sizeable €980 bln per year, or 9.4% of European GDP as a result of lower productivity and higher healthcare and welfare costs.
by Fabio Todesco
