factors that influence policy drivers in health and social care

These factors are collectively described as the wider determinants of health. A substantial part of the difference in health outcomes is down to the social, economic and environmental factors that shape people’s lives. Good or bad health is not simply the result of individual behaviours, genetics and medical care. However, police recorded violent crimes and violent sexual offences continued to rise in 2016 to 2017, with a larger increase in the most deprived local authorities. The rate of first time entrants into the criminal justice system reduced in 2017. The quality of work, and the health benefits work provides, also varies substantially.Ĭrime can have a wide ranging effect on people’s health. In 2016 to 2017, only 5.7% of people with a learning disability and 7.0% of people in contact with secondary mental health services were in employment. In 2015 to 2016, 57% of people living in households with incomes below 60% of the median (after housing costs) were children or working age adults from households with someone in work, up from 35% in 1994 to 1995.Īccess to employment, and the benefits this can bring is much lower for people with certain limiting health conditions. The employment rate in England was at a record high at 74.4% in 2016 to 2017. A higher proportion of children were in households living below this standard (44.3%) than working age adults (29.0%) and pensioners (15.4%). The proportion of individuals in the UK falling below the Minimum Income Standard ( MIS) increased between 2008 to 20 to 2014, followed by a small decline to 29.7% in 2015 to 2016. Income and health are strongly associated.

The gap in the percentage of children achieving 5 GCSEs at A*-C between those living in the most deprived local authorities and those in the least deprived local authorities remains substantial. While the proportion of homes meeting the Decent Homes Standard has increased, homelessness has continued to rise, and housing has continued to become less affordable.Įducational attainment is linked to health behaviours and outcomes throughout a person’s life and varies considerably by socioeconomic position. The quality of the built and natural environment such as air quality, the quality of green spaces and housing quality also affect health. Systematic variation in these factors constitutes social inequality, an important driver of the health inequalities presented in Chapter 5. The wider determinants of health are a diverse range of social, economic and environmental factors which influence people’s mental and physical health.

Factors that influence policy drivers in health and social care