1. Health Inequalities Faced By Young People in the UK
- A Complex Picture
UCL Adolescent Wellbeing Conference – 12th of December
Rakhee Shah & Ann Hagell
Association for Young People’s Health
@AYPHCharity
@shahrakhee

2. Methods: We use publically available UK datasets that draw on significant sample sizes, provide generalizable data on young people and use reliable survey instruments. 

3. Reasons for investing: Demographics – 11.7m young people 10-24yrs

4. Why are health inequalities important in adolescence?
Social inequalities can lead to health inequalities, and can ‘set in’ during adolescence
Health inequalities occur across the whole life course
BUT LESS attention looking at inequalities in young people
Widening inequalities amongst adolescents in high-income countries
Trends alarming for future population health
Majority of inequalities preventable
Frank J Elgar, Timo-Kolja Pförtner, Irene Moor, Bart De Clercq, Gonneke W J M Stevens, Candace Currie. Socioeconomic inequalities in adolescent health 2002–2010: a time-series analysis of 34 countries participating in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. The Lancet, 2015; DOI: /S (14)

5. Low Income is the most salient social disadvantage…
Young people are disproportionately represented in families with lower levels of income
1 in 4 young people lived in households with less than 60% of UK’s median income

6. Low Income is the most salient social disadvantage…

7. Low Income is the most salient social disadvantage…

8. Low Income is the most salient social disadvantage…

9. Other vulnerable groups
Looked after children
Young Carers
Ethnicity
Young people with learning disabilities
LGBT

10. Young Carers Often hidden and do not receive support
Risk of missing out on education, social opportunities and carry emotional burden
68% report being bullied at school
1.5X more likely to have a special educational need or disability
38% reported having a mental health problem

11. LGBT+ 2x more likely to have history of cigarette smoking
More likely to report recreational drug use
Sexual health inequalities – teenage pregnancy, sex education and cervical cancer screening

12. Black and Ethnic Minority Groups
Higher proportion live in low-income families
Young people from BME more likely to be overweight
Black and Asian children have higher incidence of Type 2 diabetes

13. Health Inequalities Compound
Deprivation
BME
Young Carers
Mental health
Well-being
Bullying
Obesity
Type 2 Diabetes

14. Relevance Multiple health inequalities exist in young people
Health inequalities in young people have a complex relationship
Health inequalities do not occur in silos and therefore should not be investigated in isolation
Important to take a holistic approach towards young people’s health

15. Final Thoughts …
Young people aged in the UK face a particular pattern of health inequalities relating to their life stage
We need to invest in and address these inequalities for a healthier future adult population
Many inequalities could be tackled with public health initiatives
Multi-sector policy recommendations need to focus on these vulnerable groups in order to reduce health inequalities. 

16. Information
(Download a free copy)
@AYPHcharity