North and South:
Regional Health Inequalities in England
Regional Health Inequalities in England
North and South: Regional Health Inequalities in England
A definitive study of the ‘North-South health divide’ and regional health inequalities in England.
This five-year project aims to deliver a transformative change in our understanding of health inequalities.
The work is funded by a Wellcome Trust grant and delivered by a team from Newcastle University, led by Professor Clare Bambra.
Image depicts a row of houses facing the north sea in Hartlepool's headland area with heavy industry in the background.
Vic McGowan spent a year speaking to people living and working in four coastal towns, Hartlepool, Blackpool, Hastings, and Torbay to explore why people living in the south of England live longer than those in the North. She found that despite regional differences in life expectancy, these towns have more in common than their health outcomes suggest. This research highlights the political and economic processes that have shaped deprivation in these towns and the ways in which regional inequalities are perpetuated and obscured.
Research suggests that northern regions may be 'falling behind' as life expectancy is improving at a slower rate in the north compared to the south. This work package will identify local authorities with similar levels of deprivation in the north and in the south but with different health outcomes to examine what factors explain these regional differences in health.
Comparing regional health inequalities in England and Europe this work package compares recent trends in regional health inequalities in England with those in other European countries. It will particularly focus on the uneven regional impacts of different economic and social policies such as austerity, COVID-19, and Brexit.