There is a "significant and robust" link between income inequality and HIV. The greater the inequality, the worse the HIV pandemic. This is the troubling conclusion of a powerful new research study released today by the International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth of the United Nation's Development Programme.
As the world is bracing for a possible swine flu pandemic, the IPC warns that its latest study demonstrates that "the link is another illustration of how unequal societies with large social divides pay a price in terms of public health." The IPC study on the impact of health inequities on a major public health issue raises the question of whether pandemic flu planning will meet the needs of lower-income Canadians.