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The Influence Of The Black Report On Society

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young children and older adult. This report influenced the governments green paper, Our Healthier
Nation (1998) and the 1999 white paper, saving lives (bbc.co.uk21.06.13).
Evaluation of the Black Report
This essay will look at the Black Report and its findings, and also compare it with the findings of both the, Acheson and Marmot reports on health inequalities in social class.
The Black Report (1980) assessed the health service of Britain and its impact on society. It underlined four types of explanations for ill health and social causes. These explanations are;
1: Socio-economic.
2: Cult/Behavioural.
3: Social Selection.
4: Artefact.
The Socio-economic approach stated that the working class of society was in poorer health than
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The Black Report was published in August 1980, with very few copies being printed and not many people getting to read it. Its finding showed that the health inequalities within Britain had been growing, instead of lessening since the start of the National Health Service in 1948. Its findings stated that the inequalities were a result of individual’s health and lifestyle choices and not the failings of the NHS. Since the Black Report there have been two further reports published, the Acheson report (1999), an independent inquiry to look into the health inequalities, repeated the findings of the Black Report form (1980), showing that the divide between the lower and higher social classes, was still present and that upper classes mortality rate was lesser than that of the lower class increasing the divide and called for benefits to be increased for expectant mothers, In 2010 the marmot report, that was conducted by professor Michael Marmot, also found there to be a link between health and class, his findings showed that individuals living in deprived areas
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