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You are invited to attend International Centre for Health and Society 2004 Public Seminar Series, UCL Monday 7 June 5.00pm (followed by drinks & book launch at 6pm) RSVP attendance essential Professor Sir Michael Marmot, UCL 'Status Syndrome' Abstract Go on a 12 mile subway journey from Washington DC to suburban Maryland. Life expectancy for men at the city end is 20 years shorter than for men in the wealthy suburbs. Being at the bottom of the social pile is bad for health, but so is not being at the top. Not only do we see fine gradations in health according to status in the Whitehall studies, but we see them everywhere. In Sweden, if you have a PhD, you have longer life expectancy than if you have a professional qualification. A Master's degree will gain you longer life than a bachelor's. Why among people who are not deprived should there be a social gradient in health? In his new book, Status Syndrome, Michael Marmot draws on his own research, and others', to show that the social gradient in health is related to the nature of the society in which we live and work. Although all societies have social hierarchies the magnitude of the gradients in health vary. A gradient in health among non-human primates suggests that the usual suspects - medical care, health behaviours - will not do as an explanation. An important gateway to health inequalities is through the brain. How much control an individual has and opportunity for full social engagement in society are crucial for health. These are related to early child development, material well being, the nature of work and communities and the circumstances in which older people live. All offer prospects for reduction in health inequalities. Michael Marmot, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health and Director of the International Centre for Health and Society at University College London, has been at the forefront of research into health inequalities for the past 20 years, as Principal Investigator of the Whitehall studies of British civil servants, investigating explanations for the striking inverse social gradient in morbidity and mortality. He was awarded a knighthood in 2000 by HM The Queen for services to epidemiology and understanding health inequalities. This public seminar will be followed by a reception to mark the launch of Professor Michael Marmot's book 'Status Syndrome - How Our Position on the Social Gradient Affects Longevity and Health', Bloomsbury, June 2004. ISBN 0747570493. RSVP seminar attendance not later than Friday 04/06/04 (indicating any special needs and for direction to the seminar room). Seats are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. International Centre for Health and Society Dept of Epidemiology & Public Health UCL, 1 - 19 Torrington Place London. WC1E 6BT T: +44 (0)20 7679 1708 E: [log in to unmask]