People in deprived areas four times more likely to have poor health

The organisation says the stark statistics demonstrate the need to address health inequality gaps and ensure strong provision of health and social care services in less affluent areas.

The report, entitled ‘Disability and Deprivation – Investigating the Relationship between Health Inequalities and Geographic Disadvantage using the Pobal HP Deprivation Index’, cross referenced data from Census 2022 against the Pobal HP Deprivation Index and found a striking relationship between the levels of deprivation in an area and the rates of reported poor health and disability. 

Key findings include:

•       People living in the most disadvantaged areas are four and a half times more likely to report not having good health than those in the most affluent areas.
•       People living in the most disadvantaged areas in Ireland are twice as likely to report having a disability compared to those in affluent areas.
•       Children growing up in extremely disadvantaged areas have reported disability rates which are only observed among people nearing retirement age in affluent areas (approximately 7%).

Alana Ryan, Pobal’s research and policy manager, who co-authored the report, said: “This research examines the relationship between geographic disadvantage and health inequalities. Findings demonstrate a direct link between how deprived an area is and the health of its population. Approximately five per cent of people living in very affluent areas report not having good health, with this figure rising to over 20 per cent for those living in very or extremely disadvantaged areas.

“A similar relationship is seen in rates of disability. On average, almost one in every three people (30%) living in very or extremely deprived areas experience a condition or disability. In the most affluent areas, this rate drops to less than half of that number, to just 14 per cent”.

The report also found urban deprived areas have a slightly higher rate of disability than rural deprived areas. Ms Ryan continued: “The relationship between disability and deprivation remains for both rural and urban areas. However, rural areas have a slightly lower disability rate than in urban areas.

“The link between deprivation and higher levels of disability is seen across every age group. However, one of the most striking findings is that the rate of disability among young people in disadvantaged areas is roughly equivalent to that of older people in affluent locations.

“While these findings are stark, they offer important insights which can inform social inclusion, public health and disability policy in Ireland. This data provides tangible evidence for enhanced health and social care services in deprived areas ranging from early intervention initiatives to targeted disability supports, which are responsive to local needs.”

Pobal CEO Anna Shakespeare commented: “Based on objective and impartial data from Census 2022, the Pobal HP Deprivation Index has demonstrated that close to 200,000 people are currently living in areas of extreme deprivation. These areas are characterised by concentrated unemployment, low educational attainment, higher rates of low-skilled work and greater numbers of single parent families.

“This new research, Pobal is launching today, has shed important light on the magnitude of the relationship between health, disability and geographic deprivation. As a social inclusion agency, Pobal knows data and evidence can play a central role in enabling us to understand the lived realities for the most marginalised groups in our society, and to tailor and target policy interventions to support those groups, ensuring their rights are respected and upheld.”

The full report is available to read here