Sir Michael Marmot on the social determinants of health and why creativity should be available for everyone

Sir Michael Marmot has been Professor of Epidemiology at University College London since 1985 and is Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity. He has led research groups on health inequalities for nearly 50 years and in 2000 he was knighted by Her Majesty The Queen, for services to epidemiology and the understanding of health inequalities. More recently, Marmot was appointed a Companion of Honour in recognition of his services to public health in the King’s 2023 New Year Honours.

In this episode, Sir Michael Marmot describes why he switched his medical focus to prevention and embarked on what has become a lifelong commitment to studying how social circumstances impact people's health. He explains what the social determinants of health are, and why they are fundamental to addressing health inequalities.

He talks through the recommendations he made in his landmark report ‘Fair Society, Healthy Lives (The Marmot Review)’ and shares some of the evidence, and his thoughts, on why the follow up ‘Health Equity in England: The Marmot Review 10 Years On’ showed that health inequalities in the UK increased during that period.

We go on to discuss why he thinks the arts, culture and creativity are important to live a life of meaning and purpose and how he wants them to be available to everyone in their everyday lives.

It was an honour and privilege to have this conversation.

Links:

The Institute of Health Equity

Fair Society, Healthy Lives (The Marmot Review)

Marmot Review 10 Years On

WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health

The Health Gap: the challenge of an unequal world (Bloomsbury: 2015)

Status Syndrome (Bloomsbury: 2004).

Creative Health Review

Socials: 

UCL Institute of Health Equity LinkedIn

Creative Health Stories socials:

Instagram: @creativehealthstories

LinkedIn: @LauraBaileyCreativeHealth

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