Sep 26, 2023 02:17 AM
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1002296
EXCERPTS: The proportion of people dying before their time (under the age of 75) is set to rise by nearly 6.5%---30 extra deaths/100,000 of the population annually—with those in the most deprived households experiencing a rate 4 times that of the least deprived.
In recent years, the UK has experienced levels of inflation not seen since the 1970s as a result of the war in Ukraine, COVID-19, Brexit and fiscal policy, note the researchers. Poorer households have borne the brunt as they spend a larger proportion of their income on energy, the cost of which has soared.
In a bid to mitigate the impact, the UK government introduced a universal Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) and a series of more targeted Cost of Living Support payments for the poorest households.
The evidence consistently shows that low income is associated with poorer health, and long term studies have shown that falls in income adversely affect health...
[...] Without any mitigation, inflation could increase deaths by 5% in the least deprived areas and by 23% in the most deprived. The EPG scenario would lower these to between 3% and 16%, and the addition of the Cost of Living Support would cut these to between 2% and 8%.
The average increase in premature deaths for the unmitigated scenario would be 16% higher than before inflationary pressures started. But the rate would be much higher in the most deprived areas, with 192 more annual premature deaths per 100,000 of the population compared with 11 more in the least deprived.
While the other two mitigating scenarios reduced these figures, the most deprived areas were still predicted to experience an increase around 4 times that of the least deprived: 8% vs 2%, resulting in 68 more premature deaths/100,000 population vs 6 more... (MORE - missing details, no ads)
PAPER: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjph-2023-000097
EXCERPTS: The proportion of people dying before their time (under the age of 75) is set to rise by nearly 6.5%---30 extra deaths/100,000 of the population annually—with those in the most deprived households experiencing a rate 4 times that of the least deprived.
In recent years, the UK has experienced levels of inflation not seen since the 1970s as a result of the war in Ukraine, COVID-19, Brexit and fiscal policy, note the researchers. Poorer households have borne the brunt as they spend a larger proportion of their income on energy, the cost of which has soared.
In a bid to mitigate the impact, the UK government introduced a universal Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) and a series of more targeted Cost of Living Support payments for the poorest households.
The evidence consistently shows that low income is associated with poorer health, and long term studies have shown that falls in income adversely affect health...
[...] Without any mitigation, inflation could increase deaths by 5% in the least deprived areas and by 23% in the most deprived. The EPG scenario would lower these to between 3% and 16%, and the addition of the Cost of Living Support would cut these to between 2% and 8%.
The average increase in premature deaths for the unmitigated scenario would be 16% higher than before inflationary pressures started. But the rate would be much higher in the most deprived areas, with 192 more annual premature deaths per 100,000 of the population compared with 11 more in the least deprived.
While the other two mitigating scenarios reduced these figures, the most deprived areas were still predicted to experience an increase around 4 times that of the least deprived: 8% vs 2%, resulting in 68 more premature deaths/100,000 population vs 6 more... (MORE - missing details, no ads)
PAPER: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjph-2023-000097