Social Determinants of Life
Poverty, social exclusion, poor housing and poor health systems are among the main social causes of ill health. Differences in the quality of life within and between countries affect how long people live. A child born in Japan has a chance of living 43 years longer than a child born in Sierra Leone. The probability of a man dying between the ages of 15 and 60 is 8.2% in Sweden, 48.5% in the Russian Federation, and 84.5% in Lesotho. In Australia, there is a 20-year gap in life expectancy between Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the Australian average. Low- and middle-income countries account for 85% of the world's road deaths. In 2002, nearly 11 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday - 98% of these deaths were in developing countries. Inequality in income is increasing in countries that account for more than 80% of the world's population.
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Photo: Dr Tareq Salahuddin |
