Visualising Inequality: Modelling disparities in health outcomes

The thesis begins to integrate some contemporary theorising in sociology, frameworks for explaining social disparities in population health, disciplines from System Dynamics modelling, and, D.D. Heckathorn’s model of ‘The Dynamics and Dilemmas of Collective Action’. Wilkinson and Marmot are recognised as leading participants in public discussion of population health disparities. The priorities they advocate are reflected in public statements of intent such as the statutory objective of New Zealand District Health Boards ‘to reduce, with a view to eliminating, health outcome disparities between various population groups . . .’ Sen’s advocacy for impartial governance when allocating freedom-based capabilities is considered as a core strategy for reducing disparities and promoting justice. The main question addressed is whether sociological theory can contribute to understanding the dynamics implied by Sen’s ‘idea of justice’. The conclusion is that the work of Runciman, Coleman, Turner, Lenski, Jasso and Heckathorn can be used to analyse the influence of corporate actors and sectoral strategies, which Wilkinson and Pickett referred to as ‘the elephant in the . . . room’ in discussions about determinants and the social gradient of health.