Les inégalités sociales de santé au Québec
This resource is available in French only.
The resource introduction was written by Martine Shareck, Ph.D. Candidate, Public Health, Université de Montréal.
In Quebec, close to 15 years of life in good health separate the most disadvantaged populations from the most affluent. Despite this reality, social inequalities in health in Quebec were not studied until 2008, when Les inégalités sociales de santé au Québec appeared on the scene to fill this void. The work was published with support from the Réseau de recherche en santé des populations du Québec (www.santepop.qc.ca). The first section paints a portrait of social inequalities in health using, as an example, the evolution of premature mortality. The multidisciplinary take on premature mortality and social inequalities helps us understand “how” inequalities develop.
The second part of the book presents a brief overview of the several theoretical perspectives—going from anthropology to neurobiology, by way of geography and sociology—to help us understand how social inequalities in health develop. This multi-level analysis, using a life course perspective, equips the reader to better understand the complex mechanisms by which social inequalities generate health inequalities.
The last part of the book describes the imaginative interventions and public policies in place in Quebec that could help reduce social inequalities in health. These include interventions in disadvantaged environments, as well as in workplace health programs. Far from leaving the reader overwhelmed by the complex nature of social inequalities in health, the work concludes on a positive note by identifying promising courses of action, such as intersectoral action and equity assessment in public health interventions.
Use this resource to:
- Facilitate reflection and discussion on the many approaches and disciplines that can help us understand social inequalities in health, in all of their complexity
- Further your knowledge of the ways and means to reduce social inequalities in health
Frohlich, K.L., & De Koninck, M. (2008). Les inégalités sociales de santé au Québec. Montréal: Presses de l'Université de Montréal.
Tags: Healthy public policy, Intersectoral action, Methods & tools, Socioeconomic status, Participate in policy development, Book