Health inequalities, fundamental causes and power: towards the practice of good theory.

Reducing health inequalities remains a challenge for policy makers across the world. Beginning from Lewin's famous dictum that "there is nothing as practical as a good theory", this paper begins from an appreciative discussion of 'fundamental cause theory', emphasizing the elegance of its theoretical encapsulation of the challenge, the relevance of its critical focus for action, and its potential to support the practical mobilisation of knowledge in generating change. Moreover, it is argued that recent developments in the theory, provide an opportunity for further theoretical development focused more clearly on the concept of power (Dickie et al.

The impact of Thatcherism on health and well-being in Britain.

Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013) was the United Kingdom's prime minister from 1979 to 1990. Her informal transatlantic alliance with U.S.

What (or who) causes health inequalities: theories, evidence and implications?

Health inequalities are the unjust differences in health between groups of people occupying different positions in society. Since the Black Report of 1980 there has been considerable effort to understand what causes them, so as to be able to identify actions to reduce them. This paper revisits and updates the proposed theories, evaluates the evidence in light of subsequent epidemiological research, and underlines the political and policy ramifications.

Has Scotland always been the 'sick man' of Europe? An observational study from 1855 to 2006.

Background: Scotland has been dubbed 'the sick man of Europe' on account of its higher mortality rates compared with other western European countries. It is not clear the length of time for which Scotland has had higher mortality rates. The root causes of the higher mortality in Scotland remain elusive.

The impact of neoliberal "political attack" on health: the case of the "Scottish effect".

The health impact of neoliberal "shock treatment" has been explored in relation to the former USSR, but much remains to be done to ascertain its impact elsewhere. The authors consider the "Scottish Effect" in health-the unexplained excess mortality in Scotland, compared with the rest of Britain, after accounting for deprivation. A prevalent but as yet untested view is that this effect is linked to the neoliberal "political attack" against the organized working class, implemented by the post-1979 U.