Unequal exposure, unequal access, unequal outcomes: the three layers of the noncommunicable disease gap
Background
A World Health Organization advocacy brief titled The hidden inequalities behind noncommunicable diseases: from evidence to action runs to 30 pages and carries the reference number B09918.
It summarises the organisation's report State of inequality: noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors.
It sets out the gap in three layers: unequal exposure to risk factors, unequal access to health services, and unequal health outcomes.
It compares population groups by age, sex, economic status, education, employment, place of residence, disability and migration status.
It links socioeconomic disadvantage to higher exposure to tobacco use, unhealthy diets and air pollution, and to reduced access to prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
It sets out three priorities: scaling up proven interventions, using disaggregated data to direct resources to those with the greatest need, and routinely measuring inequalities to track progress.
In plain words
Disaggregated data Disaggregated data — Data broken down by groups such as income, sex or place of residence rather than reported only as a national average.
Risk factor Risk factor — An exposure or behaviour that raises the chance of developing a disease.