Poverty and ill health: time to review the link

The British Medical Journal of 29 April (1994) made grim reading for it highlighted, both in its editorial by Wilkinson and in five accompanying reports (Bissett et al; Morris et al; Phillimore et al; Power; Williams et al), the impact of current poverty upon mortality. Life expectancy for some groups is reported to be at its worst for 50 years, rising in absolute terms for men under 45 years and women aged 65-75 years.