Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2017 Oct 1;27(suppl_4):18-21.
doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckx167.

Austerity and health: the impact in the UK and Europe

David Stuckler  1   2 , Aaron Reeves  3 , Rachel Loopstra  2 , Marina Karanikolos  4 , Martin McKee  4
Affiliations
Review

Austerity and health: the impact in the UK and Europe

David Stuckler et al. Eur J Public Health. .

Abstract

Austerity measures-reducing social spending and increasing taxation-hurts deprived groups the most. Less is known about the impact on health. In this short review, we evaluate the evidence of austerity's impact on health, through two main mechanisms: a 'social risk effect' of increasing unemployment, poverty, homelessness and other socio-economic risk factors (indirect), and a 'healthcare effect' through cuts to healthcare services, as well as reductions in health coverage and restricting access to care (direct). We distinguish those impacts of economic crises from those of austerity as a response to it. Where possible, data from across Europe will be drawn upon, as well as more extensive analysis of the UK's austerity measures performed by the authors of this review.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Karanikolos M, Mladovsky P, Cylus J, et al.Financial crisis, austerity, and health in Europe. Lancet 2013;381:1323–31. - PubMed
    1. Reeves A, Basu S, McKee M, et al.Austere or not? UK coalition government budgets and health inequalities. J R Soc Med 2013;106:432–6. - PMC - PubMed
    1. FEANTSA. Impact of anti-crisis austerity measures on homeless services across the EU. FEANTA Policy Paper, 2011.
    1. Loopstra R, Reeves A, Barr B, et al.The impact of economic downturns and budget cuts on homelessness claim rates across 323 local authorities in England, 2004–12. J Public Health 2016;38:417–25. - PMC - PubMed
    1. The Trussell Trust. Trussell Trust foodbank use remains at record high with over one million three-day emergency food supplies given to people in crisis in 2015/16. The Trussell Trust, 2016. Available at: http://www.trusselltrust.org/foodbank-figures-top-900000 (26 September 2017, date last accessed).

Publication types