Giving Compass' Take:

• James Hitchings-Hales, writing for Global Citizen, cites austerity as the major proponent behind deteriorating life expectancy -- especially among women -- in England's poorer neighborhoods.

• How have England's tightening health policies impacted growing struggles for impoverished communities? How can other countries view this as a warning sign? What can you do to provide support for people in these situations?

• Learn about one strategy addressing health solutions in the United States.

The life expectancy of the poorest women in England has fallen over the past decade — while the average life expectancy across England has stalled overall for the first time in a century.

Among a number of other things, the report highlighted that there is a vast difference between the life expectancies in affluent areas versus those in deprived communities. In fact, the more deprived the area, the lower the life expectancy; while people in poorer areas spend more of their lives in ill health than those in wealthier areas.

The report made the connection between stalling life expectancies and poor health, and how funding cuts have generally been more severe in deprived areas, especially outside of London.

The Guardian reports, for example, that public sector spending dropped from 42% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009-10 to 35% in 2018-19.

The report highlights that the issues lie in systematic problems, citing “social and economic conditions, many of which have shown increased inequalities.” For example, it lists education, employment, and childhood development as areas that, given more funding and attention, could help improve the state of health in the UK.

Health secretary Matt Hancock said that there was "still much more to do" on the issues raised in the Marmot Review — and that “levelling up health is the most important levelling up of all.”

Read the full article about England's life expectancy gap by James Hitchings-Hales at Global Citizen.