Statistics

What are Statistics?

What can statistics be used for?

Are statistics reliable?

How are statistics collected

Analyse statistics on the distribution of health and

illness.

How statistics are collected

The importance of statistics

Research health statistics

relating to different social

groups

Highlight inequalities found using

statistics

Discuss the reliability of

statistics.

Demography

• Demography is the term used to describe the study of changes in the size and structure of the population.

Demography

• Conduct your own demographic research on the Access to HE Diploma (Health) class.

• Using the survey papers provided compile statistics on the average learner on an Access to HE Diploma (Health) course at Coleg y Cymoedd

Demography

• What do your results tell you?• Are your results reliable?• Did you find any inequalities?• What could be the reasons for these

inequalities?

Statistics

• Surveys are just one means of gathering statistics.

• How else can statistics be collected?

Ways of collecting statistics

Census

Medical records Ballots

Experiments

Statistics

• Why are statistics important?• What can they help us to show?

Statistics can

show

Increase/decrease in medical conditions

Public opinionEmployment rates

Housing issues

Immigration/Emmigration

Statistics

Group task:In groups of 4 you will be researching the following areas:• Social Class• Gender • EthnicityYou will be expected to create a presentation of your findings which can be shared with the rest of the group.

Statistics

• You must elect a chairperson for your group. They will be responsible for co-ordinating your presentation.

• Each person will have an area of research that they are responsible for.

• Make a note of who is in your group and the area of research they are responsible for.

• Everyone must take part!!

Group 1

Describe what is meant by Social Class.Research statistics into differences between classes for1. Mortality rates2. Morbidity rates3. Rates of cancer4. Obesity Levels

As a group try to provide explanations as to why the statistics show what they do.

Group 2

Describe what is meant by Gender.Research statistics into differences between genders for:1. Mortality rates2. Morbidity rates3. Rates of cancer4. Obesity Levels

As a group try to provide explanations as to why the statistics show what they do.

Group 3

Describe what is meant by Ethnicity.Research statistics into differences between ethnic groups for1. Mortality rates2. Morbidity rates3. Rates of cancer4. Obesity Levels

As a group try to provide explanations as to why the statistics show what they do.

Group 4

Describe what is meant by Social Class.Research statistics into differences between classes for1. Life expectancy2. Infant mortality rates3. Rates of diabetes4. Mental health

As a group try to provide explanations as to why the statistics show what they do.

Group 5

Describe what is meant by Gender.Research statistics into differences between genders for1. Life expectancy2. Infant mortality rates3. Rates of diabetes4. Mental health

As a group try to provide explanations as to why the statistics show what they do.

Group 6

Describe what is meant by Ethnicity.Research statistics into differences between ethnic groups for1. Life expectancy2. Infant mortality rates3. Rates of diabetes4. Mental health

As a group try to provide explanations as to why the statistics show what they do.

Time to move!!

• Everyone researching area 1 move to group 1’s table.

• Everyone researching area 2 move to group 2’s table.

• Everyone researching area 3 move to group 3’s table.

• Everyone researching area 4 move to group 4’s table.

Sources of information

• You may be able to find useful information in the following places:

• Public Health Wales Website• Welsh Assembly Government Website• Office for National Statistics Website• NHS Website• Haralambos and Holborn, Themes and Perspectives

in Sociology• Browne ,

Time to move again!!

Once you have competed your research:• Return to your original groups.• Plan and create your presentation (you may wish

to use the resources in the Learning Centre to do this)

• Prepare to present your information to the rest of the class.

• Email a copy of your presentation to your tutor so that it can be placed onto Moodle.

Explanations for Health Inequalities

• The Black Report 1980 identified 4 possible explanations for Health inequality:

• Artefact explanation• Social Selection• Cultural Differences• Material Differences

Artefact Explanation

• The artefact explanation of health inequalities rests on the idea that the relationship between class/gender/ethnicity and health is artificial rather than real.

• It arises either through the (inadequate) measurement of social class/gender/ethnicity and/or health, or in the measurement of the relationship between the two.

Artefact Explanation

• How do you think the artefact explanation could be used to explain the inequalities experienced by the group that you presented research on?

Social Selection

• The differences in social class reflect the fact that healthier people are more able to work their way up the social class structure

Social Selection

• How do you think the Social Selection explanation could be used to explain the inequalities experienced by the group that you presented research on?

Cultural Differences

• Particular cultures are more likely to engage in unhealthy lifestyles.

Cultural Differences

• How do you think the Cultural Differences explanation could be used to explain the inequalities experienced by the group that you presented research on?

Material Differences

• The economic differences in Britain lead directly and indirectly to poorer health for the less well off and an increased chance of early death.

Material Differences

• How do you think the Material Differences explanation could be used to explain the inequalities experienced by the group that you presented research on?