ETHNIC HEALTH INEQUALITIES
(24th January 2001)

New government research shows that Asians have bad teeth, are less likely to exercise, and are prone to heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. On the plus side there is lower alcohol consumption and lower cholesterol levels in the same group.

Minister for Public Health, Yvette Cooper, today welcomed the publication of results from the most extensive survey into the health of minority ethnic groups ever carried out in England, and the first national survey to include minority ethnic children as well as adults.

Yvette Cooper said: "Tackling health inequalities is a high priority for this Government. This Health Survey will help us to focus on the health inequalities and health needs of black and minority ethnic groups. This survey provides the most detailed picture ever of the health differences between ethnic groups."

Among the key findings for Adults are:

• Higher rates of ischaemic heart disease (angina and heart attack) were reported by South Asian men; higher rates of stroke in Black Caribbean and Indian men (all compared with the general population).
• Higher rates of diabetes were reported by men and by women from minority ethnic groups except the Irish and Chinese.
• Men from the South Asian community were less likely to be obese, rates for men from other minority ethnic groups were comparable with the general population. Black Caribbean and Pakistani women were more likely to be obese, while Chinese and Bangladeshi women were less likely to be obese. Waist-hip ratio was used as a measure of central obesity. South Asian men had higher rates of central obesity while Chinese and Black Caribbean men had lower rates. Women's rates were well above those of the general population in all minority ethnic groups.
• Bangladeshi men were 60% more likely to smoke than men in the general population. South Asian women were far less likely to smoke than women in the general population.
• Black Caribbean, Pakistani and Chinese men were less likely to have high total cholesterol than men in the general population. Among women, all minority ethnic groups (except for the Irish) were less likely to have high total cholesterol than the general population.
• All minority ethnic groups consumed less alcohol than the general population except for Irish men and women;
• Compared with the general population, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Chinese men and South Asian and Chinese women were less likely to participate in physical activities.

Among the Key findings for Children are:

• Compared with the general population South Asian children were much less likely to report ever having smoked.
• Children in all minority ethnic groups (except for the Irish) consumed less alcohol than the general population. Compared to the general population, Indian and Chinese children were much less likely to have drunk alcohol, and rates of alcohol use were lowest among Pakistani and Bangladeshi children.
• Children in all minority ethnic groups, but especially Pakistani and Bangladeshi children, were less likely to have ever visited a dentist. Among those who had visited a dentist the reason for the last visit was more likely to be due to problems with their teeth than for a routine check-up.
• Girls in all minority ethnic groups were less likely than boys to have participated in sports and exercise.

The Government has already set out plans to tackle inequalities between ethnic groups. The NHS Plan said that:

• By 2003 a free and nationally available translation and interpretation service will be available from every NHS premises through NHS Direct.
• By 2003, reducing inequalities will be a key criterion for allocating NHS resources.
• The NHS will need to address local inequalities including issues such as access to services for black and minority ethnic communities

Smoking is one of the biggest causes of cancer amongst males from some ethnic minority groups. It is particularly high in Bangladeshi (47%) and African Caribbean (32%) men.It causes 120,000 deaths each year in the UK and is the greatest single cause of preventable illness and premature death in the UK. Funding for smoking cessation work with black and ethnic minority ethnic groups has been increased to £1 million. The Department has also set out measures to support smokers who want to give up.

As part of the NHS Cancer Plan, the Government will be reviewing the information available to the public about cancer, to ensure there are more accessible print and electronic resources, with a particular focus on materials for Asian women.

The National Service Framework on Coronary Heart Disease requires health authorities to devise local delivery plans to ensure that cardiac services are accessible to all groups within the community and that it contains specific proposals for tackling health inequalities, including those among ethnic groups.

The Government is addressing inequities in access to screening for ethnic minorities and introducing screening for conditions that particularly affect ethnic minorities. By 2004 there will be a new national linked antenatal and neonatal screening programme for haemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell disease and thalassaemia.

The Department's Dental Strategy, published last month, set out action to tackle inequalities in dental health. The Government is taking action to improve the oral health of children in all minority ethnic groups, especially Pakistani and Bangladeshi children, who are less likely to have ever visited a dentist. The Department will be translating oral health advice into several Asian minority languages , encouraging the spread of initiatives being undertaken in the NHS to increase the registration of children from black and ethnic minority communities and funding the National Transcultural Oral Health Centre at the Eastman Dental Institute on the delivery of care in a multi-ethnic society and the development of a dental workforce which is representative of black and minority ethnic groups.

Further details are available on the Department of Health website.

Click here to read about the latest on the Governments efforts to help Asian Men and Women Quit Smoking.

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