The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) develops information, policy and practice relating to poverty and health. This is part of our commitment to combating health inequalities.

An analysis of a decade of all-Ireland mortality data is presented in the Institute's 2001 Inequalities in Mortality 1989-1998 report. A further all-Ireland report on Inequalities in Perceived Health was published in 2003.The Institute was also involved in the development of the Travellers’ All-Ireland Health Study.

Ireland and Northern Ireland’s Population Health Observatory (INIsPHO) is located in IPH. It supports those working to combat health inequalities by disseminating health intelligence and strengthening information infrastructure on the island of Ireland. Recent work includes Making Chronic Conditions Count: Hypertension, Stroke, Coronary Heart Disease, Diabetes. A systematic approach to estimating population prevalence amongst adults on the island of Ireland.

The Observatory is engaged in several projects with a health inequality dimension and has developed a Health Poverty Index and an all-island health inequalities dataset.

In Ireland, IPH supports the implementation of a range of policies aimed at tackling health inequalities including Quality and Fairness: A Health System for You and the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016.

In Northern Ireland, IPH seeks to support the implementation of Investing for Health and Lifetime Opportunities – the government’s anti-poverty and social inclusion strategy.

IPH's Public Health Policy Centre develops policy papers that analyse health inequality issues and present recommendations for action. In addition, the Centre acts as an information hub on the Institute’s activities in terms of calls for policy submissions.

At European level, we are the Irish partner in the DETERMINE project. This project seeks to coordinate and strengthen efforts to tackle health inequalities across Europe.

We are engaged in specific pieces of work relating to fuel poverty, food poverty and tackling inequalities in the occurrence of low birthweight babies in Ireland.

IPH operated a leadership programme that trained and developed a network of leaders to work collaboratively to tackle health inequalities. We support the development of cross-agency partnerships that work to improve health and tackle health inequalities. We have produced a number of partnership evaluation tools to support this vital work.

IPH is also represented on several key research and advisory groups working to combat health inequalities, including  the Health Service Executive (HSE) Health Inequalities Subgroup.