Event summary
IPH Senior Policy Officer, Dr Helen McAvoy presented to the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland Section on Epidemiology and Public Health on 21 January 2009. The title of the presentation was ‘Health Inequalities – Are we facing the challenges?’ . Speakers at this event presented data on the nature and extent of the challenge of health inequalities in Ireland and explored the Irish response in terms of policy and practice, with particular reference to the role of public health practitioners and epidemiologists.

Presentation summary
Dr McAvoy discussed how we are approaching an important ‘tipping point’ in the epidemiology of a number of important population health concerns, whereby without tackling health inequalities the central aim of improving population health cannot be met. Using the particular example of inequalities in child health, Dr McAvoy encouraged participants to refresh and redefine our understanding of key health inequality issues. Making reference to models based on UK health inequality targets, Dr McAvoy recommended the development of clear ‘maps’ setting out the mechanisms by which health inequalities are generated and identifying levers for change. Using the central recommendations of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health 2008 report, the presentation considered the degree to which Ireland is meeting the challenge of health inequalities.