Health and the big social divide

We’ve long known that where you live, who you live with, how you grow up, and how much money you have can have long lasting consequences for you health. Those that live in inner city neighbourhoods are far more exposed to health risks such as air pollution or drug abuse compared to leafy suburban residents.

Does this connection between socioeconomic background and health fall on the responsibility of healthcare professionals and policymakers? Do nurses and doctors now also have to think about air pollution and green spaces? And is this holistic view of health helpful and indeed possible?

In a special episode of Spectator podcasts, Kate Andrews is joined by a panel of experts in this field. Charmaine Griffiths is the chief executive of the British Heart Foundation. Chinmay Bhatt is the managing director for the pharmaceutical company, Novartis in the UK and Ireland. And Sir Michael Marmot is a professor in epidemiology and public health at University College London.

This podcast episode is sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK and editorially owned by The Spectator. Views and ideas expressed are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the sponsor.