Victorian diseases on the rise due to damp housing and food inequality, doctors warn
Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.
Victorian diseases like scabies are on the rise. Here’s why
- Doctors are raising concerns about a resurgence of Victorian-era diseases, like scabies, due to poor housing and food insecurity.
- A Royal College of Physicians survey revealed that nearly 90 per cent of doctors are worried about the impact of health inequalities on their patients.
- Nearly half (46 per cent) of doctors reported that at least half their workload involves illnesses linked to social factors like poor housing and unemployment.
- Doctors warn that damp housing exacerbates respiratory illnesses, while food insecurity leads to long-term health complications.
- The Royal College of Physicians is urging the Government to address the root causes of ill-health, such as poor housing and air quality, to reduce health inequalities and the strain on the NHS.