Peter Townsend

* El libro se ha traducido por el Instituto Nacional de Higiene, Epidemiologia y Microbiologia, y sus 10 capitulos se publicaran proximamente en esta Revista. Publicado por la Editorial Routledge, Londres y Nueva York, 1989, 211 paginas. En ingles. El libro presenta nuevas evidencias de las desigualdades en salud encontradas entre poblaciones o comunidades en diferentes areas del norte de Inglaterra y relata las tendencias a largo plazo que tienen lugar en los patrones de salud de Inglaterra, explora hasta donde las desigualdades en los niveles de salud pueden ser explicadas por la carencia material.

ABSTRACT Widening inequality in the distribution of resources, higher rates of unemployment and deteriorating conditions in the inner cities have concentrated attention in Britain, and elsewhere in Europe, upon the idea and exact meaning of ‘deprivation’. This scientific concept is used extensively not only in the analysis of social conditions but also, in an applied form, as an instrument of policy in allocating resources to particular regions, areas and services. This paper argues that the indicators which are chosen to represent the phenomenon are often unduly restricted and even involve double counting. As a result the distribution and severity of deprivation seems to be seriously misperceived and resources misallocated. A review of the available studies shows how the concept might be treated more coherently in relation to that of poverty.