The poorest Portuguese!
according to by date, The poverty reduction that has been happening since 2014 has been reversed, and it is estimated that there are now more than 4 million people whose income places them below the poverty line.
The data points to 2020, but has only been released now, on the cusp of the anniversary of the International Day of Poverty.
Even if the data for the current year were not known, the scenario would certainly be more devastating, given the increasingly negative economic and social conditions we are facing, i.e. rising inflation, interest rates, etc….
This thinking comes from the close association between poverty and health, which creates a vicious cycle with devastating effects.
The origin of a large part of health inequalities in fact comes from social factors, because they determine access to important resources that can be used, not only to reduce the consequences of diseases, but also to promote health.
Poverty, as a multidimensional concept, presents a relevant obstacle to improving the health of the population and reducing inequalities.
Income level, education level/literacy requirement for prevalence of chronic diseases. In contrast, psychological distress or level of dependency and reduced access to health services increase inequality.
In short, low-income people end up sick more often, and when they do get sick, they get poorer.
In other words: poverty causes disease and disease causes poverty.
In this context, broad, close and increasingly capable societal intervention is of particular importance, alleviating disparities in various areas of life and, in this particular case, in the areas of health promotion and disease prevention.
More than words, it is necessary to do more and encourage active behaviour, not merely reaction, to fight poverty.
A struggle for which all social actors, from civil society to political decision-making bodies at the local, regional and national levels, must bear the responsibility.
Note: The author chose to write according to the previous spelling convention.
