Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Reasons for premature deaths' that was published in Newsband

Reasons for premature deaths

In the latest research on premature deaths the reasons for the differing rates of death are not, perhaps, as surprising as the causes. Young people die from “diseases of despair” – those associated with drug overdoses, suicides and alcoholism. The poorest neighbourhoods and areas of high unemployment contributes to higher premature death rates. There is also a longstanding acceptance that there is a social gradient in health – the lower a person’s social position, the worse his or her health. What seems to be happening is that a person’s ability to improve their position in society on their terms has become so hampered that it is life-shortening.

Slashing budgets has also stalled the rate of increase in life expectancy. An unequal society with a withered state unable to level life’s playing field is dangerous. Social and economic inequalities are directly connected with life span.

Many observable variables correlate with life expectancy. Where you live. How much you make. What your gender is. Many more. Which contributions to inequality in life expectancy reflect injustice we should attempt to undo with policy, and which are "simply how things are" that should be left in place?

Evidence suggests that poverty kills. 'Inequality' is a politically more acceptable term: we need to take money from the better off and use it for the very much worse off, especially the bottom 10-20%.

The reason for the disparity in life expectancy is that many people are lazy and obese. Nobody forces people to take drugs, eat junk food, drink too much or smoke cigarettes. They're all optional. And they account for the majority of these early deaths. Poverty and addiction are interlinked. And that the 'choice' to abuse for those born into poverty is not the same 'choice' afforded to the rest of us. Or, indeed, not even a choice at all.

In the face of severe and worsening economic inequality depression and despair are on the rise. When you are despairing about your life it's hard to avoid addiction (of a variety of kinds) to try to keep from going under. The problem is not inequality but poverty and deprivation.

Actually smoking, taking drugs and a poor diet causes early deaths. But do those who smoke, take drugs, have a poor diet recognise the outcome of their actions? If they do, why no action?

Economic inequality is most definitely a problem. There's loads of research associating rising inequality with a plethora of social problems, shortened lives and health problems. Even those bastions of socialism the IMF and the World Bank think inequality is too high, and is damaging not only the fabric of our societies but economic growth too.

Since the 1980s too much faith has been placed in the free market to provide for the nation's needs. The old industrial areas were allowed to decline with minimal government support. The effects began to become noticeable from the mid nineties onwards. Now we have this report to show how this has affected the health of our fellow citizens.

What we need is a government committed to social justice and prepared to tackle this and other inequalities in our society.

Of course it is a fact that a lifetime in the pits or living under an industrial smog killed far more people than austerity. There are massive inequalities in society, for instance a Middle Class lawyers salary vs a movie stars. Yet this inequality is not a problem because both have a good standard of living. If everyone's income rises, but some people's income rises more than others, the gap between those people will increase, yet the actual life expectancy of everyone will increase.