The right start to a healthy life
levelling-up the health gradient among children, young people and families in the European Union, what works?
In all EU countries there is a systematic correlation between the level of health and social status – a step-wise decrease in health that comes with decreasing social position. These social gradients in health are harmful and unjust, particularly when it comes to children and young people, since adversity in the early years negatively impacts heath throughout the life-course.
This book aims to identify what measures can be taken to level socio-economic gradients in health.
It looks at:
- Political and welfare-state factors
- How universal policies on social protection, education and health systems can contribute to reducing gradients in health
- Why community social capital matters
- The importance of monitoring the distributional effects of all policies
- The Gradient Evaluation Framework
- The role of the EU in tackling social gradients in health
The book provides final recommendations for policy makers and practitioners so as to ensure that all children and young people in the EU get the right start to a healthy life.
Literatuurverwijzing: Stegeman, I., & Costongs, C. (2012). The right start to a healthy life: levelling-up the health gradient among children, young people and families in the European Union, what works?.