Education and health inequalities Input Paper 10 to the Independent Inquiry into Inequalities in Health, January 1998

The available evidence suggests that there are important links between educational inequalities and concurrent and subsequent health inequalities. Much of the literature further indicates that these inequalities are cumulative in their effect over the life course of individuals, families and communities. This evidence, drawn from UK and international studies, suggests that any attempt to tackle health inequalities through educational interventions needs to be conceived as part of a broader medium- to long-term project. It would also need to involve local communities, as well as collaboration between agencies, in order to build up the social capital that the research suggests contributes to positive educational and health outcomes. The paper includes some policy recommendations, which the research suggests could make a significant contribution towards the reduction of inequalities in health. These priorities for intervention, which should initially be targeted towards areas of greatest disadvantage, involve the continued development of high quality community-oriented pre-school provision to meet the particular needs of disadvantaged communities; the further development of health education in schools within a wider institutional structure of health promoting/healthier schools; and better co-ordination between health, education and other services, for example within the currently proposed Health and Education Action Zones.