The Poverty and Social Exclusion Survey 2012 included questions, first asked in 2002/3, designed to capture the impact of the ‘Troubles’ on people’s lives. In this paper for the Knowledge Exchange Seminar Series, Mike Tomlinson presents the initial analysis of these findings. The 2012 results survey found that just under a half of all adults (45%) experienced either the death or injury of someone they knew personally. For more than a third of adults (35%), someone they knew was killed. With the exception of imprisonment, all of the conflict experiences are associated with a higher risk of poor physical and mental health and most were associated with lower life satisfaction.
This conceptual note explores the complex relationship between poverty and social exclusion and mental health problems in terms of how we might measure poor mental health, and in how we might assess the direction of causality: does poverty, or social exclusion, cause poor mental health, or does poor mental health lead to poverty and social exclusion? The PSE research has used the well-validated instrument, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) 12, widely used to indicate presence or absence of symptoms of what are often described as ‘common mental disorders’, which will enable comparison with findings from other research in the UK and elsewhere.
There are marked variations in people's access to essential services in Europe, hampering their ability to participate fully in society, according to a new study published by the European Commission.
The study draws on 2009–2010 data included in the EU-SILC (Statistics on Income and Living Conditions) for four areas: healthcare, public transport, banking and postal services, and childcare. In each case it defines access in terms of both affordability and the convenience of the location from which services are provided.
The US population has worse health than comparable 'rich' countries, according to a new report. Overall poverty and child poverty are especially plausible explanations, it says, for the 'pervasive US health disadvantage' across multiple causes of illness, unhealthy behaviours, and mortality during the first three or possibly four decades of life.
This conceptual note considers the measures specifically for older people that could be used in the PSE: UK survey. It covers: the question of whether to include specific items and activities aimed at measuring deprivation in older people; the extent of social networks and social and financial support; specific health problems associated with older people that cause difficulties with activities in daily life; and the extent and provision of unpaid informal care.
This paper presents indicators relating to public and private services, focusing particularly on services relating to health, services for specific groups such as elderly, disabled and young people and public transport. Although many such services are ostensibly ‘universal’, both the quality and the quantity of services are typically lower in poor areas, and families in poverty may face additional barriers when accessing services. This paper argues that there is a need for some innovation in the public and private service questions on the PSE survey due to the changing nature of public service provision.
This paper provides a review of various measures pertaining to older people used in the 1999 Poverty and Social Exclusion (PSE) survey and offers suggestions for improvement. Six measurement areas were identified: deprivation; social capital; limitations in activities of daily living; receipt of informal care; receipt of health and social services; and provision of unpaid care.
Leaving work due to illness and injury can be as damaging as becoming unemployed, according to new research from the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Essex, The Economic Impacts of Leaving Employment for Health-related Reasons. The study found that one third of those leaving work because of ill-health or injury were living in poverty within a year. The impact on the individual’s finances is as fundamental and long lasting as unemployment.
The study, which drew on the British Household Panel survey data, found that if you leave work for health reasons: