Life expectancy is about more than just health - it's about the kind of society we live in. And in the early 2010s, after decades of continual improvement, life expectancy in the UK, US and many other rich countries stopped increasing. For millions of people, it actually declined. Despite hundreds of thousands of extra deaths, governments and officials remained silent.

Combining robust evidence with real-life stories, this book demonstrates how austerity policies caused this scandal. It argues that this shocking and tragic suffering was predictable, caused by a dereliction of duty from those in power.

The book concludes with an optimistic vision of what can be done to restore life expectancy improvements and reduce health inequalities.

About the Author

David Walsh is Senior Lecturer in Health Inequalities at the University of Glasgow and previously Programme Manager at the Glasgow Centre for Population Health.

Gerry McCartney is Professor of Wellbeing Economy at the University of Glasgow and Honorary Consultant in Public Health at both Public Health Scotland and NHS Grampian.

Reviews

"Walsh and McCartney make the case - with data, compassion and moral clarity - for humane public policies that support the health and dignity of all, leaving no one behind."

Sandro Galea, Boston University

Book Information
ISBN 9781447373087
Author David Walsh
Format Paperback
Page Count 192
Imprint Policy Press
Publisher Bristol University Press