Effects of wealth and poverty on health.

Dr Graham Easton looks at the connection between our wallets and our health. A 20 year study comparing illness in Glasgow and Wokingham concludes that wealth makes all the difference. Dr Iona Heath says all illnesses and mortality are clearly worse for poorer families and the income gap has widened, with more children living in poverty. Wendy Doyle emphasises the long-term effects of low birth weight - prone to sickness, don't do so well at school etc. But it is not just money. The eating habits of the poor, and lack of dietary understanding matter too. The 'I too' project in Leeds is taking NHS staff into schools where students can ask questions about health issues. An interesting comparison is made between Nepal and the housing estates in Glasgow, where Nepalese health workers saw 'real poverty' - i.e. social isolation - far worse than in Nepal. Dr Kirsty Gibson recommends private screening through BUPA, but Iona Heath is scathing about this.