The Black Report identified a relationship between social class and ill health, life expectancy and infant mortality rates. The persistence of these inequalities has become the subject of continuing debate. The Black report identified four different possible explanations; artefact, social selection, cultural and material.
What is the Black Report?
The Black Report (Black et al, 1980) was commissioned in 1977 by the Labour Secretary of State. Though there had always been a public concern about social class difference and mortality, it was the first ever review of the Health of Britain’s working age population.
When was the Black Report on inequalities in Health published?
Inequalities in Health. The Black Report: A Summary and Comment In August 1980 the United Kingdom Department of Health and Social Security published the Report of the Working Group on Inequalities in Health, also known as the Black Report (after chairman Sir Douglas Black, President of the Royal College of Physicians).
What was the BMJ number for the Black Report?
BMJ.1990 Aug 18; 301(6748): 373–377. doi: 10.1136/bmj.301.6748.373 PMCID: PMC1679935 PMID: 2205320 The Black report on socioeconomic inequalities in health 10 years on.
What happened to social class V?
The death rate (usually calculated as the number of deaths per one thousand people per year) for men in social class V – low income, unskilled – was twice that for men in social class I and that gap between the two was increasing, not reducing as was expected. It was doomed on its opening pages.
Why is it called the Black Report?
In August 1980 the United Kingdom Department of Health and Social Security published the Report of the Working Group on Inequalities in Health, also known as the Black Report (after chairman Sir Douglas Black, President of the Royal College of Physicians).
What is the artefact explanation?
The artefact explanation considers the existence of health inequalities as simply an artefact of the measurement system used. According to this theory any variance in health within social classes will depend on how both health and class are measured (McIntyre, 1997).
What is statistical artefact explanation in sociology?
artefacts, statistical and methodological A statistical artefact is an inference that results from bias in the collection or manipulation of data. The implication is that the findings do not reflect the real world but are, rather, an unintended consequence of measurement error.
What are inequalities in health?
Health inequalities are the unjust and avoidable differences in people's health across the population and between specific population groups. Some authors, particularly from North America, use 'inequalities' to denote differences between groups and 'inequities' to denote unjust differences between groups.
What are the 4 explanations of the Black Report?
Black suggested four possible explanations: artefact, health or social selection, materialist/structuralist and cultural/behavioural.
What is the artefact explanation black report?
Artefact explanations seek to account for inequalities in health as a construct of the measurement process. The Black Report believed that the artefact explanation was relatively unimportant in accounting for the persistence of class inequalities in health.
What are the three 3 simple and useful statistical measures in sociology?
There are three main measures of central tendency: the mode, the median and the mean. Each of these measures describes a different indication of the typical or central value in the distribution.
What is an example of a social artifact?
Social artifacts can be things such as books, newspapers, advertisements, films, photographs, paintings, machines, buildings, and so forth--anything built by humans. It's clear that we need a particular method for studying these things. Surveys, experiments and field research are designed to study people, not objects.
What are the 3 types of artifacts?
The Types of Artifacts. There are three main categories that software artifacts fall under. These are code-related artifacts, project management artifacts, and documentation.
How does social class affect health?
People in lower socio-economic groups are more likely to have long-term health conditions, and these conditions tend to be more severe than those experienced by people in higher socio-economic groups.
What are the 3 different types of inequality?
There are three main types of economic inequality:Income Inequality. Income inequality is the extent to which income is distributed unevenly in a group of people. Income. ... Pay Inequality. A person's pay is different to their income. Pay refers to payment from employment only. ... Wealth Inequality.
Who suffers from health inequalities?
Health inequalities are experienced between different groups of people and are often analysed across four main categories: socio-economic factors (for example, income); geography (for example, region); specific characteristics (for example, ethnicity or sexuality) and socially excluded groups (people who are asylum ...
What is an artefact example?
An artifact is an object made by a human being. Artifacts include art, tools, and clothing made by people of any time and place. The term can also be used to refer to the remains of an object, such as a shard of broken pottery or glassware.
What is an artefact in research?
An artifact is an object of study commonly used in critical and qualitative or interpretive communication research. Artifacts are made by humans rather than the result of natural phenomenon; therefore, they are symbolic, purposeful, and intentional things.
What is an artefact in an image?
An image artifact is any feature which appears in an image which is not present in the original imaged object. An image artifact is sometime the result of improper operation of the imager, and other times a consequence of natural processes or properties of the human body.
What are 5 examples of artifacts?
Examples include stone tools, pottery vessels, metal objects such as weapons and items of personal adornment such as buttons, jewelry and clothing. Bones that show signs of human modification are also examples.
What was the Acheson report?
The Acheson report (1998) was able to identify and relate social gradient to poor health and made recommendations for interventions to reduce these inequalities.
What are the factors that affect poorer health in the lower social class group?
Another theory is the Structural / material theory; sees a number of factors that influences poorer health in the lower social class group, e.g. Inadequate housing (overcrowding), low income, poor diet, dangerous working environment (exposure to asbestos causes cancer), stress and depression. These factors in turn leads to immediate gratification (smoking, drinking and use of drugs), reducing access to quality health care. It also linked material deprivation to health inequalities between classes (Anthony G. 2001)
What is health inequalities?
The term health inequalities describe the fact that health varies between individuals: the term refer to the systematic differences in the health of groups occupying unequal positions in society (socioeconomic groups).
What was the Black report?
The Black report also contained suggested measures to improve social class inequalities in health. The Conservative Government headed by Mrs. Margaret Thatcher however disregarded this reports as inappropriate thereby calling for another phase of research.
What is socioeconomic position?
Socioeconomic position refers to an individual’s place in the social hierarchies built around education, occupation and income. These three components of socioeconomic position are determining influence on an individual’s life chances and living standards. Each can be used to provide a hierarchical classification of socioeconomic position: from no qualifications to degree-level qualifications, from unskilled manual jobs to professional jobs, and from low income to high income.
Why are people in the lower social group?
Natural and Social selection theory- it explains that people are in the lower social group as a result of their poor health, which prevents them from obtaining and maintaining high ranking jobs. It further describes that lower class group as a consequence rather than the cause of poor health. Peter T. (1988) further explained that people with poor drift to the bottom of the Registrar General occupational scale (Peter, T. 2001). This can be argued against because the lower social class group rely on the public health insurance which provides the minimal quality of care while the upper social class have private insurance which provides maximal health care.
Is artefact theory real?
However, the artefact theory argues that health inequalities are not real but are consequence of the use of inappropriate statistics and definition of social class
How many chapters are there in Social Policy?
The recommendations for policy are developed in 2 chapters: Chapter 8 dealing with health and associated services, and Chapter 9 with some other key aspects of social policy. 7.
What does "iii" mean in research?
iii. to suggest what further research should be initiated.
Is social inequalities in health unacceptable?
Present social inequalities in health in a country with substantial resources like Britain are unacceptable, and deserve so to be declared by every section of public opinion. Socially and educationally we must encourage a broader understanding of the meaning of health and of the means of its achievement.
Who was the pioneer of social medicine?
Echoing the 19th century pioneers of social medicine Henry Sigerist in his book Civilisation and Disease pointed out the need in highly industrialised countries for a balance between social and economic policies, and health service policies, in achieving high health standards’.
Who voiced the concern felt by many of those working in the health services?
2. In his Galton lecture in 1975, Sir John Brotherston had voiced the concern felt by many of those working in the health services (Brotherston 1976):
Who is Professor Peter Townsend?
Professor Peter Townsend – Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex.
Who is Professor J. N. Morris?
Professor J N Morris Professor of Community Health in the University of London at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine;
What should be taken in the general household survey?
We recommend that in the General Household Survey steps should be taken (not necessarily in every year) to develop a more comprehensive measure of income, or command over resources, through either (a) a means of modifying such a measure with estimates of total wealth or at least some of the more prevalent forms of wealth. such as housing and savings or (b) the integration of income and wealth, employing a method of, for example, annuitization.
What departments should consider how progress might rapidly be made in improving the information on accidents to children?
We therefore recommend that representatives of appropriate government departments (Health and Social Security, Education and Science, Home Office, Environment, Trade, Transport as well as the NHS and the Police should consider how progress might rapidly be made in improving the information on accidents to children.
What should school health statistics be?
We recommend that school health statistics should routinely provide, in relation to occupational class, the results of tests of hearing, vision. and measures of height and weight. As a first step we recommend that health authorities, in consultation with educational authorities, select a representative sample of schools in which assessments on a routine basis be initiated.
What should be done to reduce the decline in school population?
Savings from the current decline in the school population should be used to finance new services for children under 5. A statutory obligation should be placed on local authorities to ensure adequate day-care in their area for children under 5 and a minimum number of places the number being raised after regular intervals should be laid down centrally. Further steps should be taken to reorganise day nurseries and nursery schools so that both meet the needs of children for education and care.
How to encourage good health among a larger proportion of the population?
2. To encourage good health among a larger proportion of the population by preventive and educational action. 3. For disabled people, to reduce the risks of early death, to improve the quality of life whether in the community or in institutions, and as far as possible to reduce the need for the latter.
How long did the post-neonatal death rate last in France in the 1960s?
It is noteworthy that through the 1960s the ratio of the post-neonatal death rate (between 4 weeks and one year) in the least favoured social group to that in the most favoured fell substantially in France.
Why should the government develop special funding on the lines of joint funding for health and 1OCA1 authorities?
Special funding on the lines of joint funding for health and 1oca1 authorities should be developed by the Government to encourage better Planning and management of housing, including adaptations and provision of necessary facilities and services for disabled people of all ages by social services and housing departments.
The larger story of radical challenges to healthcare today are similar to what they were in 1980 when the death rate for men in the lowest social class was twice that for men in the wealthiest
The Department of Health and Social Care relaunched its Health and Wellbeing Alliance project last week, the aim of which is to promote health equalities and reduce health inequalities across the UK.
Fit for purpose?
The report had asked the question whether the NHS was fit for purpose leaving the Government in a conundrum: leave it alone knowing how bad health inequality was or completely restructure the health service.
Coronavirus effect
They have also experienced Covid-19 mortality rates more than double those in less deprived areas – 55.1 deaths per 100,000 compared with 25.3 deaths.
What are the factors that contribute to inequalities in health?
The final factor behind inequalities in health identified by the Black Report is material. This explanation highlights the role of economic factors in the distribution of ill health. Within this it is thought that members of lower social groups face material constraints and poor living conditions which prevent them from living a healthy lifestyle. These material constraints include poverty, bad housing, low income and a lack of health and educational resources. This theory coincides with Wilkinson’s (1997) argument that “Poverty is the most important determinant of health”. The material explanation does account for a significant amount of the inequality between social classes, possibly more so than the other explanations, but once again it cannot account for all.
What was the Acheson report?
More recently in 1997 Labour commissioned the Acheson report (Acheson, 1998) which was an independent inquiry into health inequalities (Abercrombie and Ward, 2000). Similar to the Health Divide, the Acheson Report’s findings mirrored those of the Black report.
How does social selection affect health inequalities?
The second explanation for these health inequalities is social selection. This theory speculates that people with ill health will generally decrease in social status while a fit and healthy person would be more likely to advance social class (Maguire, 2010). This combined effect contributes to the evident health inequalities. Within this idea a distinction between ‘direct’ and ‘indirect’ health selection has been made. ‘Direct’ is where health alone is attributed to social mobility whereas ‘indirect’ is where another quality is involved with the mobility process (Wilkinson, 1987, Platt, 2006) Few supporters of this extreme view can be found. Though ill health may have an effect on social mobility, it is often too small to account for any significant health difference (Wilkinson, 1996). Townsend and Davison (1990) also found that relatively few sick professionals experience downward occupational changes. However, as regards the social selections importance as an explanation of health inequalities it appears to play a small but yet still significant role (Platt, 2006).
What are the four possible explanations for the Black report?
The Black report identified four different possible explanations; artefact, social selection, cultural and material . The artefact explanation considers the existence of health inequalities as simply an artefact of the measurement system used.
What are the cultural reasons for health inequalities?
The cultural explanation proposes that members of lower social classes often choose less healthy lifestyles (smoking, eating larger quantities of fatty foods and participating in less exercise) compared to members of middle or upper class groups, thus resulting in comparatively ill health. However, similar patterns in ill health can also be found within people who follow a relatively healthy lifestyle. Though it can’t be disputed that there is a correlation between a less healthy lifestyle choice and ill health, it cannot be considered the full explanation for the presence of health inequalities (Townsend and Davison, 1990, Pratt 2006)
What is the black report?
Though there had always been a public concern about social class difference and mortality, it was the first ever review of the Health of Britain’s working age population. The initial purpose of the report was to measure the impact ...
When was the Health Divide published?
In 1987 the Health Education Council (HEC) commissioned the Health Divide. This report was concerned with measuring the current health inequalities and to determine what progress had been made since the Black Report was published 7 years previously.
What is central policy review staff?
Central Policy Review Staff . A Joint Framework for Social Policies; Services for Young Children with Working Mothers: Housing and Social Policies: Some Interactions. HMSO, London, 1975, 1978.
Why is the Black Report important?
This summary and comment is intended to give greater access to its evidence, arguments, conclusions, and recommendations.
When was the Black Report published?
In August 1980 the United Kingdom Department of Health and Social Security published the Report of the Working Group on Inequalities in Health, also known as the Black Report (after chairman Sir Douglas Black, President of the Royal College of Physicians). The Report showed in great detail the extent to which ill-health ...
When was the European Survey on Smoking in Public Places published?
Action on Smoking and Health . European Survey on Smoking in Public Places. ASH, London, 1976.
Who wrote the Black Report?
Inequalities in Health. The Black Report: A Summary and Comment - Alastair McIntosh Gray, 1982
Who edited the sociology of the NHS?
Cartwright, A., O'Brien, M. Social class variation in health care. In The Sociology of the NHS, edited by Stacey, M . , Sociology Review Monograph 22, 1976.