Improving health outcomes for patients from low socioeconomic backgrounds
Improving health outcomes and reducing health inequalities for patients from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
Challenge
17% of working-age UK population is in absolute low income as of 2023.1
2021-2023, the age-standardised mortality rate in the lowest Index of Multiple Deprivation decile was almost double that of the highest.
Poverty and deprivation give rise to greater ill health and can make it harder to access NHS services → Worse health outcomes for patients + increased cost for NHS.2
Solution
Desk research, to inform;
Interviews with patients and clinicians, to create;
Toolkit (online & in print)
Raising awareness via social media campaigns - targeting clinicians first
Impact
Better understanding patient lives and needs.
Improving knowledge base of target patients and clinicians on available support and tools.
Improving access to healthcare by creating a toolkit (aggregated information of resources).
Future Plans
Events for physical dissemination involving local hubs e.g community centres, libraries and medical associations to reach patients with no internet access
Large-scale survey - robust research
Access to treatments & clinical trials
Investigation of informal sources of health information patients use
Study - Assumptions vs Reality of patient needs
Team
Dina Molnar
Charly Massey
Lili Garcia Mondragon
Project Partner
UK