Authors: M.A. Beenackers, F.J. van Lenthe, J. Oude Groeniger, W.J. Nusselder, J.P. Mackenbach and the HE2020 project partners
As described in Phase 3 on choosing actions, there are three main mechanisms that can be distinguished through which socioeconomic health inequalities can be reduced:
- Reducing the inequalities in socioeconomic position itself, such as education, income, or wealth.
- Reducing the negative effect of a low socioeconomic position on health by improving determinants of health that are more prevalent among lower compared to higher socioeconomic groups, including:
- living and working conditions
- health behaviours
- accessibility to and quality of health care and preventive services
- Reducing the negative social and economic effects of ill health, such as school drop-out, lost job opportunities and reduced income.
The Health Equity 2020 Action Database contains a range of policies, interventions and programmes that aim to reduce socioeconomic health inequalities. Both effective actions (evidence level A or B, see Box 15 in the Phase 3 tool) and good practices (evidence level C or D, see Box 15 in the Phase 3 tool) are included.