In answer to Adam Oliver's first question the issue is about where the
healt improvements occur.
If you imagine 'health' as a Normal distribution then one might be
interested in how the change in health was being generated:
1. Is the curve being pushed towards better 'health' but the overall
distribution remaining the same?
2. Is the curve being stretched so that those who are most advantaged are
having better 'health' over time while the 'health' of the most
disadvantaged is remaining the same i.e. no improvement over time? or
3. Is the curve being squashed as well as being pushed towards better
'health' so that those who are most disadvantaged have a net improvement
over time that is better than those who are most advantaged?
One important reason for concern about the differential and its apparent
widening is the knowledge that those who are most advantaged are able to
comprehend an dact on messages about ways to improve health more
effectively than those who are most disadvantaged.
Elizabeth
Dr Elizabeth Comino
Department of General Practice
PO Box 5
Fairfield, NSW, 1860
Ph: 02 9616 8520 also CHETRE (02) 98286230/6314
Fax: 02 9616 8400 FAX (02) 9828 6232
Email: [log in to unmask] (Thurs/Fri)
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