Not all healthy in Ireland

While the executive committee of the Irish capitalist class weighs ups the pros and cons of seeking out an EU bail-out we read that the recession will make health inequalities in Ireland worse, with growing evidence that people are opting out of medical services they have to pay for.

The annual Pfizer Health Index report, which surveys more than 1,000 Irish adults every year, has found that people are visiting their GPs and taking screening tests less often, while not attending hospitals as much. Prof Kevin Balanda, associate director in the Institute of Public Health, said the results indicated a trend which would exacerbate existing health inequalities.

People from lower socio-demographic groups are 2.5 times more likely to suffer from arthritis, twice as likely to have heart disease and three times more likely to be affected by depression.