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Take action on age inequality
What we can do to prevent inequality against the young and old.
What does age have to do with inequalities?
Poverty is the main cause of ill-health in children. Unfortunately, there is a quite a serious child poverty problem in Ireland, with 6.5% of children living in families that earn below 50-60% of the average income. This is officially known as consistent poverty.
23.4% of Irish children live in families that have an income substantially below the average for society. This is known as relative poverty and it has to do with the growing gap between the richest and the poorest, even in well off countries. Children are twice as likely as adults to experience poverty.
The longer a child is poor, the greater the impact it will have on the child’s life. Children living in poverty are more likely to have poor education, leisure opportunities, housing and nutrition as well as parents who smoke. They are also more likely to have low earning potential as adults. The above factors can contribute to health problems in the long term.
In Ireland, 1 in 20 births each year are to teenage mothers. Not all children born to teenagers are disadvantaged, but for many, it means that there is a higher chance of poorer health for both mother and child.
Young people are also at a disadvantage in the health system. In hospitals there are wards for adults and children, but there are usually none for adolescents. Because of this, a fifteen year old can end up in a ward with four or five year olds or in beds beside a sixty or seventy year old.
It is hard for young people to use health services in complete confidence. This might stop people visiting services and getting health care.
And what about older people?
The amount of money an older person receives has an impact on how good their health is. Older people living on low pensions may have difficulty affording the food, housing and heating they need to remain healthy. Others live in isolation and have little transportation, making it difficult for them to get involved in social events and to travel to appointments.
Older people’s health is better if they can participate in decisions that affect their lives, such as where they live, who they live with and what supports they need. All these factors affect the health of older people.
Various studies have shown that health professionals can sometimes act negatively towards older people. When older people and their carers’ are given enough information and support to make informed choices about their care, it helps keep them independent for longer.
An older person’s access to services depends very much on where they live. People in isolated areas are often the most disadvantaged. Much of the poor health and poor quality of life experienced by older people is preventable.
Actions: What can we as young people do?
- Be conscious that people of all ages have a valuable contribution to make to society.
- Become involved in youth clubs such as Foróige or Interact.
- Get involved in local or school activities that look out for older people, for example, St.Vincent De Paul & transition year projects.
- Young people should be given the opportunity to plan and to be involved in services, especially about issues that affect them. Ask for this right.
- Don’t be pressured into having sex just because everyone else is doing it (they are not!) – it’s your choice.
- Find out more: The Combat Poverty Agency is dedicated to getting rid of poverty in Ireland.
Lobby politicians to:
- Provide better facilities for young people and the elderly – empower them rather than neglect them.
- Have active age groups in all communities for older people.
- Realise that older people play an important role in society.
- Provide good pensions and benefits to ensure that older people have money to cover their living expenses and other demands.
Information from The Public Health Alliance for the island of Ireland. See www.phaii.org for more information and to find out how you can get involved. Download the ‘Health in Ireland – an unequal state’ youth document.
