title: On the methodological, theoretical and philosophical context of health inequalities research: a critique.
abstract: The integration of survey data with psycho-social theories is an important and emerging theme within the field of health inequalities research. This paper critically examines this approach arguing that the respective models of health inequality which these approaches promote, the related concepts of 'social cohesion' and 'social capital' suffer from serious methodological, theoretical and philosophical flaws. The critique draws particular attention to the limitations of survey-derived data and the dangers of using such data to develop complex social explanations for health inequalities. The paper discusses wider epistemological issues which emerge from the critique addressing the fundamental but neglected question of 'what is inequality'? The paper concludes by introducing a structure for questions regarding health inequalities emphasising the need for those question to be attached to real communities.
authors.affiliation: Research in Health and Social Care Section, The Florence Nightingale School of Nursing & Midwifery, King's College London, UK. angus.forbes@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Wainwright
mesh_terms: D015276:Health Care Rationing; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D010684:Philosophy; D012107:Research Design; D012923:Social Class; D012935:Social Justice; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D006113:United Kingdom