WHO makes its first systematic global assessment of NCD inequality

WHO released State of inequality: noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors on October 20, the first systematic global measurement of differences across population groups in four major NCDs and their risks. National data from the past decade show that in low- and middle-income countries, less-educated populations often have higher hypertension and diabetes rates; poorer and less-educated women receive less cervical-cancer screening; and rural residents have less access to hypertension diagnosis, treatment and screening. Gender, age, unemployment, disability and migration status also interact with tobacco, alcohol, obesity, inactivity and air-pollution exposure. The report warns that some countries still lack disaggregated data. The next step is to use inequality monitoring for resource allocation, population-wide intervention and service coverage rather than merely documenting gaps.