title: What types of interventions generate inequalities? Evidence from systematic reviews.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some effective public health interventions may increase inequalities by disproportionately benefiting less disadvantaged groups ('intervention-generated inequalities' or IGIs). There is a need to understand which types of interventions are likely to produce IGIs, and which can reduce inequalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a rapid overview of systematic reviews to identify evidence on IGIs by socioeconomic status. We included any review of non-healthcare interventions in high-income countries presenting data on differential intervention effects on any health status or health behaviour outcome. Results were synthesised narratively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The following intervention types show some evidence of increasing inequalities (IGIs) between socioeconomic status groups: media campaigns; and workplace smoking bans. However, for many intervention types, data on potential IGIs are lacking. By contrast, the following show some evidence of reducing health inequalities: structural workplace interventions; provision of resources; and fiscal interventions, such as tobacco pricing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings are consistent with the idea that 'downstream' preventive interventions are more likely to increase health inequalities than 'upstream' interventions. More consistent reporting of differential intervention effectiveness is required to help build the evidence base on IGIs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social & Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK. theo.lorenc@lshtm.ac.uk
authors.forename: Theo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lorenc
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petticrew
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tugwell
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising; D019049:Developed Countries; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D015438:Health Behavior; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D017132:Workplace