In his presentation at the EIB, Prof. Frederick J. Zimmerman, Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA, argues that income inequality is a social phenomenon that has big effects on human health and that we can improve health by changing inequality.

Income inequality is a policy variable but what is the right level as we all benefit when there is some level of inequality? Prof. Zimmermann shows that health indicators such as infant mortality or the prevalence of mental illness are worse in unequal countries than in more equal countries and that the range of inequality within the OECD corresponds to a rough doubling of health risks, ie about 18 months of lost life expectancy.

Taking the example of the US, he shows how excessive inequality in control over resources, discourses and preferences impairs health. But he also offers evidence that reducing inequality would result in meaningful improvements to population health and wellbeing. 

This presentation took place in the framework of a series of lectures under the general theme of ‘Inequality and… ?’ in which the EIB Institute partners with the University of Luxembourg’s PEARL Institute for research on Socio-Economic Inequality (IRSEI) and other Luxembourg based institutions.

The next presentation by Dr Ana Llena-Nozal, OECD, on Inequality and Non Standard Work, will take place at the EIB on April 21, 2015.