title: Inequalities in health and social policy.
abstract: WHO and the European Commission impart great importance to promoting activities aimed at reducing inequalities in health. The article raised methodological problems of studies on the causes of inequalities in health. Author draws attention to the need for field studies focused on comparing well-specified population groups in order to achieve greater accuracy of studies to obtain preventive actions better fit to the specific needs of a given population. He also indicates the difficulties related to the comparisons made on an international scale due to the large number of variables that could interfere with investigated exposure. A significant part of the article is devoted to the interpretation of the measurement of poverty and the relationship between economic inequality and inequities in health. The author points out that there are no simple relations in this area, but the impact of economic inequality is particularly pronounced where inequalities in income of families bring large fractions of a society below the threshold of poverty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zieliński
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005060:Europe; D005062:European Union; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult