Last update:
08-Jul-2004

Until recently now the well-known relationship between income and life expectancy has oriented the scientific research of health inequalities towards a one-dimensional and macro-level approach. Scientific interest has now become focused on a multi-dimensional and micro-level approach. This methodological re-orientation is required in order to make an understandable framework concerning the interactions between people and society, health and illness. Within this framework, when health inequalities are analysed, then health related quality of life should be considered as an interaction of subjective and objective factors. These interactions should be analysed at the micro- and multi-dimensional level in order to reach an understanding how health inequalities affect of the quality of life of a person or of a society. This multi-dimensional approach draws attention to the necessity for a meta-theory about health inequalities in the 21st century.

Key words: Human development, Income, Life expectancy, Quality of life.