Tackling health and social inequalities in primary care

Abstract

Social inequalities produce disparities in access to communal benefits such as health, education, and jobs, arising, for example, not only from social parameters like ethnicity and gender, but also from government policies and societal practices. The complex interplay between an individual's social environment, including housing and income, significantly influences their health. This article focuses on how primary care services can tackle health and social inequalities. It discusses the ramifications of the Inverse Care Law, how it is still applicable after more than half a century, and how Deep End general practices and social prescribing measures attempt to curb social and health inequalities.