The social gradient in health is not a phenomenon confined to the British Civil Service.
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Throughout the developed world, wherever researchers have had data to investigate, they have observed the social gradient in health.
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The WHO s Committee on the Social Determinants of Health stated that the social gradient,-systematic differences between populations-was unfair; killing people on a grand scale.
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The EU institutions contribute to reducing health inequalities across the social gradient through a variety of strategies, policies, programmes and initiatives which affect the socio-economic determinants of health.
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Whitehall II found that the way work is organised, the work climate, social influences outside work, influences from early life, and health behaviours all contribute to the social gradient in health.
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EuroHealthNet seeks to address the factors that shape health and social inequalities, building the evidence base for public health and health-related policies and health promotion interventions in particular to level up the social gradient in health.
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Marmot described his findings as illustrating a " social gradient in health " : the life expectancy for the poorest is seven years shorter than for the most wealthy, and the poor are more likely to have a disability.
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The Whitehall Studies revealed this social gradient for a range of different diseases : heart disease, some cancers, chronic lung disease, gastrointestinal disease, depression, suicide, sickness absence, back pain and general feelings of ill-health.
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There is a recognition that our health is affected by many factors including where we live, genetics, our income, our educational status and our social relationships; these are known as " social determinants of health . " A social gradient in health runs through society.