Men with more affluent backgrounds in Islington can expect to live for six years longer than those from the worst-off backgrounds, while women can expect four more years. Islington Council has received new funds to explore more
By Julia Gregory, Local Democracy Reporter
Research about the impact of problems including debt and overcrowding in Islington could help tackle inequalities.
Islington council is one of 13 councils picked to join National Institute for Health and Care Research’s (NIHCR) £350m pioneering research into the causes of health inequalities.
It has been signed up for one year but it could be extended for five more years, with £1m funding annually, if the council develops its plans.
The borough is the sixth most deprived in London and a third of its children and 34% of those over 60 live in poverty, according to its 2021 Challenging Inequality report.
Men with more affluent backgrounds in Islington can expect to live for six years longer than those from the worst-off backgrounds. The gap is more thn four years for women in the borough, according to council figures.
Islington’s public health team worked with University College London and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and HealthWatch Islington to put together its bid.
It included work on data about health inequalities, working with residents who will be trained to do research in their communities and helping staff and people who live in Islington to use the evidence to tackle problems.
Councils signed up to the full five years include Tower Hamlets, Newcastle and Blackpool councils.
Professor Brian Fergusin who leads the NIHCR research programme said: “By focusing on the wider determinants of health such as employment, housing, education and the physical environment, the areas we are supporting have a tremendous opportunity to make a lasting impact on health inequalities and wider deprivation.”
Islington’s head of public health Jonathan O’Sullivan said it will look at the impact of debt and the risk of getting into debt as well as the health problems caused by overcrowding in Islington.
He told Islington’s health and well-being board on November 8th that the council’s “strong and enthusiastic team” were praised by the bid assessors.
