Women on a low income, understanding inequalities and Coronary Heart Disease prevention : a lifestyle, practice and policy analysis

Abstract

This case study has considered the impact of the wider determinants of CHD health on health behaviour in women, it has also considered CHD prevention activities undertaken by local health care professionals, and any partnership working which may facilitate this.  The sampling included women on a low income (below half of average income) with dependent children, and health care and local authority staff practising in the same deprived electoral ward.  A documentary analysis was also undertaken to consider the Community Plan, Health Improvement Plan, Primary Care Trust Business Plan and minutes from Health Improvement Group meetings. The case study was undertaken using elements of a grounded theory method.

The study found that the women were unaware of CHD as a potential risk to their health.  The factors which emerged as limiting their attempts to change their lifestyle were high demand, low control and lack of social support.  These factors when linked with perceived job characteristics have been shown to raise the incidence of CHD, and have been tested in several large cohort studies as occupational psychosocial CHD risk factors.  The study found the health care professionals had limited awareness of the wider determinants of CHD health.  Practitioners employed by the PCT tended to have no access to evidence relating to their practice as they had no internet/library access routinely within their jobs they felt that the structure of their roles inhibited primary prevention of CHD, and community development work. The analysis of partnership working showed little evidence of effective partnerships, or involvement of the community within partnerships.

More information

Identifiers

Catalogue record

Export record

ASCII CitationAtomBibTeXData Cite XMLDublin CoreDublin CoreEP3 XMLEndNoteHTML CitationHTML CitationHTML ListJSONMETSMODSMPEG-21 DIDLOpenURL ContextObjectOpenURL ContextObject in SpanRDF+N-TriplesRDF+N3RDF+XMLRIOXX2 XMLReferReference ManagerSimple Metadata