ePrints

Grim up North or Northern grit? Recessions and the English spatial health divide (1991–2010)

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Alison Copeland, Professor Clare BambraORCiD

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.

Abstract

Background Previous research suggests that the health effects of recessions are mixed and vary spatially between countries. Using the North-South English health divide as an example, this paper examines whether there are also spatial variations within countries. Methods Cross-sectional data on self-reported ‘not good health’ was obtained from the British Household Panel Survey and the Health Survey for England from 1991 to 2010. Age-adjusted generalized linear models were used to examine the effects of recessions (1990/91 and 2008/09) on self-reported health in the four English NHS Commissioning Regions (North, South, Midlands and London) with stratification by gender. Results Over the 20-year study period, the North had consistently higher rates of ‘not good health’ than the South [OR 1.50 (1.46–1.55) outside recessions and OR 1.29 (1.19–1.39) during recessions]. However, during periods of recession, this health divide narrowed slightly with a 2% decrease in the prevalence of ‘not good health’ in the North [OR 0.91 (0.86, 0.96)].Conclusion This study is evidence of spatial variations in the health effects of recessions within England and the North-South divide appears to slightly reduce during recessions. Health in the North remains worse than the South.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Copeland A, Kasim A, Bambra C

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Journal of Public Health

Year: 2014

Pages: 1-6

Online publication date: 10/03/2014

ISSN (print): 1741-3842

ISSN (electronic): 1741-3850

Publisher: Oxford University Press

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdu019

DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdu019

Altmetrics

Share