Tackling Health Inequality
Ko, Seong Jun
16th Waver 10b2
Teacher : Mr. Johnson
Term paper: Tackling Health Inequality
Ko, Seong Jun
10b2
Contents
1) Observation on Health inequality
Income inequality works as a direct cause to the depreciation of society’s overall healthcare service.
2) Investigating for the solution on Health inequality #1
Observing the problems of the Korean Government’s welfare and healthcare system
- Need for the change in government policy
3) Investigating for the solution on Health inequality #2
Homeostatic means of Noblesse-Oblige on Health Welfare System
– Income inequality attacks the health of the topmost income level
4) Conclusion / Envision
Envisioning the future by coming up with a adequate solution on Health Inequality
Observation on Health Inequality in Korea
– Income inequality decreases society’s overall healthcare
‘From cradle to Grave’
This phrase is usually known as the description of the England’s social security policy since World War II. Sadly, this phrase is recently used in Korea to describe the chronic inequality in healthcare. From newborns to elders, unequal health situations depending on one’s income, a.k.a. health inequality, is a serious fact, but is dealt with unfortunately as a surreptitious matter to be manipulated by the social authorities for the maintenance of political power.
What is the status of Korea’s current health inequality? There are two factors we have to consider to answer this question; how much value does the Korean Government put on the importance of the health inequality agenda and how seriously does the income inequality in Korea hurt its citizen. The Korean Government has addressed its general healthcare plan by 2003 and 2007 and is in the process of making its 3rd healthcare plan. According to the first version of the 3rd plan which was announced last November, one of the main goals of the general healthcare plan was to achieve health equality. This goal was previously set in the plan of 2007, but none of these plans had specific policies which could actually enhance public health equality. Below are specific evidences that shows the chronic inequality on health and income among Korean citizens.
1. Income inequality indicators
Income index – shows the gradual progress of Korea’s income inequality
(Korea. Domestic Household's economic Tendencies. , 2010./)
The graph below is the ratio between the total incomes sum of the 20% of the Korean population who earn highest incomes with the 20% of the Korean population who earn lowest incomes. As you could see, it is getting higher even when the tax(the second graph) and the social welfare system(the third graph) is considered.
(Korea. Domestic Household's economic Tendencies. , 2010./)
2. Report of Professor Son, MeeAh in Kangwon University – Correlation between income inequality and cancer rate. This proves that if income is low, the cancer rate tends to increase. Also the report shows that the people who die because of cancer has mostly low income. (MeeAh, Son. "Correlation between income inequality and cancer rate." Kangwon University)
3. Correlation between Income – obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes & Academic background - obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes - Total of 8 graphs
(YeongJeon, Shin. "2009 report of solving health inequality." 2009)
This graph directly shows that income inequality is a serious issue in Korea.
Investigating for the solution on Health inequality #1
Observing the problems of the Korean Government’s welfare and healthcare system
- Need for the change in government policy
Report of English Government in 2000 “NHS cancer plan” analyzed that the main factor causing cancer is smoking and one’s food preference which are closely related to one’s social and economical background. This recommends that Korea has to stop people from smoking by solutions such as increasing the tax on cigarettes. Also Korean government could start a campaign to stop people from eating unhealthy foods. By forcing the firms to exactly state which ingredients are used in the products they sell, the consumers could be protected from the danger of eating unhealthy foods. (England. Department of Healthcare. NHS cancer plan. , 2000)
Investigating for the solution on Health inequality #2
Homeostatic means of Noblesse-Oblige on Health Welfare System
– Income inequality attacks the health of the topmost income level
The report of Nottingham University showed that adequate redistribution enhances the healthcare of the topmost income level. “Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger” studied on the relation between income distribution and citizen’s health conditions.
(Richard, Wilkinson. Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger
The expected life span of a U.S citizen is 77.3 years. U.S. has the highest GDP per capita, but the expected life span is smaller than Costa Rica, which only has the 1/5 of the GDP per capita of U.S. The analysis of the Dr. Wilkinson is this. ‘As countries achieve higher incomes and standard of living, the direct relation of economic development and expected life span becomes unclear. Moreover, the correlation of the two factors eventually disappears as the GDP reaches the $20,000”. The main concern here is that Korea is also in the group that reached $20,000 GDP. Which shows that redistribution helps to increase the life span of the citizens.
Conclusion : Coming up with a solution on Health Inequality
The adequate mix between Government policy and voluntary redistribution of the wealth is recommended. Both policies can give positive results in curing the health inequality. The government should let the citizens, especially the wealthy ones, that redistribution is the way of maintaining the health of the citizens.
REFERENCE
1.Korea. Domestic Household's economic Tendencies. , 2010.
2.MeeAh, Son. "Correlation between income inequality and cancer rate." Kangwon University
3.YeongJeon, Shin. "2009 report of solving health inequality." 2009
4. England. Department of Healthcare. NHS cancer plan. , 2000
5. Richard, Wilkinson. Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger
6.Serial ariticle “Doublehelix of Death and Poverty." Hankyoreh Newpaper
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