low graphics version | feedback | help
| Front Page World |
| UK |
|
Northern Ireland Scotland Wales |
| UK Politics Business Sci/Tech Health Education Sport Entertainment Talking Point In Depth AudioVideo |
|
 BBC Scotland's health correspondent Abeer ParkesShettleston residents have there say at the district's health centre  real 28k  |
Glasgow: Bad for your health?
Glasgow has some of the poorest areas in the UK |
For the second time in a fortnight, Glasgow's health and prosperity record are under the spotlight - and they make grim reading.
The Anniesland, Springburn, Maryhill, Shettleston, Pollok and Baillieston areas came top in a poverty study carried out by the Townsend Centre for International Poverty Research at Bristol University.
Two other constituency areas of the city - Glasgow Govan and Glasgow Kelvin - came eighth and 14th on the list.
Glasgow v Edinburgh
The Bristol findings follows a joint study by researchers at Glasgow and Heriot Watt universities which showed that Glasgow was lagging dangerously behind Edinburgh in terms of economic prosperity and general well-being.
Glasgow: "Lagging behind" |
He said: "We're seeing increased spending on health, but we're not seeing as much of an increase on tackling the causes of ill-health including unemployment and poverty."
A GP's view
Dr Alan McKinnon, a GP in Shettleston for 25 years, said he recognised the symptoms.
 I don't think it is any worse or any better than anywhere else to be quite honest  |
| Shettleston resident |
"We see the results of that in higher levels of diabetes, we see very high levels of mental illness.
"These are, I think, the signs of poverty."
A resident's view
However, residents in Shettleston were reluctant to run down the area even more.
One said: "I don't think it is any worse or any better than anywhere else to be quite honest.
"I wouldn't say it puts me off living in the area. Obviously, if I had tonnes of money I'd live somewhere else, but this is where I live.
"I work in another area of Glasgow, which is a lot more affluent, but I don't think its any different."
The Scottish Executive has launched a series of initiatives designed to deal with social exclusion.
Targets for progress
Minister for Children and Education Sam Galbraith said the way to tackle poverty and ill-health was first to set a series of achievable targets.
"These targets are essential so you set progress against them," said Mr Galbraith.
Link between ill-health, poverty and unemployment |
Doctor Carol Tannahill, director of health promotion at Greater Glasgow Health Board, said it was important not to be too simplistic about setting targets.
In many areas, she said, the intangible as well as the measurable needed to be targeted.
She said: "It needs to look at issues like quality of life, people's mental health and wellbeing, their levels of physical fitness, and so on.
"We do have a range of targets that we're setting.
"This is not something that we could turn around through some sort of quick fix or easy answer."
|
Search BBC News Online |
|
|
 Advanced search options | |
| |
 | |
 | |
| |
 | BBC RADIO NEWS |
| |
| |
|
| BBC ONE TV NEWS |
| |
| |
| WORLD NEWS SUMMARY |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| PROGRAMMES GUIDE |
|
|
See also: |
|
 |
|
 |
02 Dec 99 | Health |
|
North-south health divide 'widening' |
| |
|
|
28 May 99 | Business |
|
Report highlights urban jobs crisis |
| |
|
|
19 Nov 99 | Scotland |
|
Parliament ponders Royal High flit |
| |
|
|
16 Sep 99 | Scotland |
|
Glasgow wins child surgery bid |
| |
|
|
13 Oct 99 | Scotland |
|
Scotland resists UK's house price rises |
| |
|
|
Internet links: |
|
|
|
|
|
Glasgow Development Agency |
| |
|
|
Glasgow City Council |
| |
|
|
Edinburgh City Council |
| |
|
|
Heriot Watt University |
| |
|
|
University of Glasgow |
| |
|
|
Bristol University |
| |
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites |
|
Links to other Scotland stories are at the foot of the page.
E-mail this story to a friend
~RS~a~RS~international~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~09~RS~)