02/09/2008
Social factors including poor working conditions are to blame for huge variations in ill-health and life expectancy around the world, an international commission has concluded. The World Health Organisation (WHO) convened commission carried out a three-year analysis of the "social determinants" of health. Its report concludes "social injustice is killing people on a grand scale". It adds that the "toxic combination of bad policies, economics, and politics is, in large measure, responsible for the fact that a majority of people in the world do not enjoy the good health that is biologically possible."

Poor work is identified as major contributory factor to health inequities. In a section on fair employment and decent work, the Commission calls for: full and fair employment and decent work to be a central goal of national and international social and economic policy-making; economic and social policies that ensure secure work for men and women with a living wage that takes into account the real and current cost of healthy living; all workers to be protected through international core labour standards and policies; and improved working conditions for all workers. The Commission adds that people also need protection in case of specific shocks, such as illness, disability, and loss of income or work.

• WHO news release

Source: Risks (TUC e-bulletin)