As part of the review of the National Anti-Poverty Strategy, a NAPS and Health Working Group was established by the Department of Health and Children to develop health targets and an associated implementation and monitoring framework. In order to support this work a wide ranging consultation process was carried out.
• The link between poverty and health is strong and well established in Ireland and other countries.
• Poverty contributes to poor health directly through, for example, inadequate housing or dangerous environments and indirectly, for example, through poor diet.
• Being poor or socially excluded makes it more difficult to access or afford health services.
• In Ireland, the gap in health between rich and poor is substantial. Mortality rates in the lowest socio-economic groups are over 100% higher than in the highest socio- economic groups for all the major causes of death.
• As well as the huge gap in mortality between poorest and richest, the risk of poor health increases as one goes down the socio-economic scale. This gradient has been demonstrated in Ireland.
