Centre for International Public Health Policy

University of Edinburgh: School of Health, CIPHP, Home page: "The Centre for International Public Health Policy (CIPHP) has recently been established at the University of Edinburgh to carry out research of the highest standard in health policy, disseminate its research, and provide exceptional postgraduate teaching. Focusing on the principles of equity, access, and universality, Prof Allyson Pollock and her colleagues have gained an international reputation for the quality and social relevance of their research."

The effects of social status on biological aging as measured by white-blood-cell telomere length (Abstract)

Blackwell Synergy: Aging Cell, Vol 5, Issue 5, pp. 361-365: The effects of social status on biological aging as measured by white-blood-cell telomere length (Abstract): "Low socio-economic status (SES) is associated with a shortened life expectancy, but its effect on aging is unknown. The rate of white-blood-cell (WBC) telomere attrition may be a biological indicator of human aging. We tested the hypothesis that SES is associated with telomere attrition independent of known risk factors influencing the aging process. We studied 1552 female twins. A venous blood sample was taken from each twin and isolated WBCs used for extraction of DNA. Terminal restriction fragment length (TRFL) was measured. Questionnaire data were collected on occupation, education, income, smoking, exercise, height and weight. Standard multiple linear regression and multivariate analyses of variance tested for associations between SES and TRFL, adjusting for covariates. A discordant twin analysis was conducted on a subset to verify findings. WBC telomere length was highly variable but significantly shorter in lower SES groups. The mean difference in TRFL between nonmanual and manual SES groups was 163.2 base pairs (bp) of which 22.9 bp (14%) was accounted for by body mass index, smoking and exercise. Comparison of TRFL in the 17 most discordant SES twin pairs confirmed this difference. Low SES, in addition to the harmful effects of smoking, obesity and lack of exercise, appears to have an impact on telomere length."

WHO | CSDH reports and other publications

WHO CSDH reports and other publications: "Who we areAbout the Commission: its goals, specific themes, country examples, civil society participation, knowledge networks, and the Commissioners.CSDH brochure [pdf 747kb] /.../ "

Tackling Health Inequities Through Public Health Practice: A Handbook for Action

Tackling Health Inequities Through Public Health Practice: A Handbook for Action
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY & CITY HEALTH OFFICIALS, Washington, DC
THE INGHAM COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT Lansing, Michigan Edited by Richard Hofrichter
Publication supported by a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation 2006
Available online as PDF file [252p] at: http://tinyurl.com/wq4vb
".........Health practitioners in local health departments
(LHDs) face many dilemmas and struggles in seeking to protect and improve the public's health. As the front line of the public health response in local communities, they often must cope with immediate crises and chronic issues with limited resources, restrictive statutory mandates, categorical funding, and political pressures from state and local officials. Addressing the root causes of inequities in the distribution of disease and illness might seem like a luxury. But it is not....