Die Ergebnisse des Kinder- und Jugendgesundheitssurveys (KiGGS) enthüllen Unterschiede im Gesundheitsstatus und Gesundheitsverhalten in Deutschland je nach Einkommen, Bildungsstand und Berufswahl der Kinder und Jugendlichen selbst bzw. von deren Eltern. Besonders stark ausgeprägt sind die sozialen Unterschiede im Hinblick auf den allgemeinen Gesundheitszustand, psychische und Verhaltensauffälligkeiten sowie Übergewicht. Auch in allen anderen europäischen Staaten kumulieren Mortalität, Morbidität und verhaltensbedingte Risikofaktoren in den unteren sozioökonomischen Statusgruppen. In Europa differiert die Lebenserwartung bei Männern in höheren und niedrigeren sozialen Positionen durchschnittlich um fünf Jahre. Die Entwicklung von Strategien zur Bekämpfung sozialer Ungleichheiten in der Gesundheit ist eine der größten Herausforderungen unserer heutigen Gesellschaft. / The national representative survey on the health of children and adolescents in Germany (KiGGS) revealed social inequalities in health and health behaviour in Germany according to income, education and occupation of both the children and adolescents themselves and their parents. Social inequalities in general health status, psychological or behavioural disorders, and overweight seem to be most alarming. Mortality, morbidity and detrimental health behaviour accumulate in the subpopulation with a low socioeconomic position (SEP) across Europe. The average difference in life expectancy in European men with a high and low SEP is 5 years. The development of policies and strategies to tackle this important public health issue is a major present and future challenge.

This thesis analyses two different features of Mauritian society in relation to multilingualism. The first is how multilingualism appears in everyday Mauritian life. The second is how it influences mental health provision in this country. The sociolinguistics of Mauritius has drawn the attention of many linguists in the past (Baker 1972; Stein 1982; Rajah- Carrim 2004; Biltoo 2004; Atchia-Emmerich 2005; Thomson 2008), but linguists tend to have quite different views on Mauritian languages than many Mauritians themselves. Language shifts and diverse language games in the Wittgensteinian sense are commonplace in Mauritius, and have been in the focus of linguistic and anthropological interest (Rajah-Carrim 2004 and Eisenlohr 2007), but this is the first research so far about the situation in the clinical arena. Sociolinguistic studies tend to revolve only around a few other domains of language; in particular, there is great attention on proper language use – or the lack of it – in education, which diverts attention away from equally important domains of social life. Little has been published and is known about mental health, the state of psychology and psychiatry in Mauritius and its relationship with language use. This work demonstrates that mental health can provide a new viewpoint to understand complex social processes in Mauritius. People dealing with mental health problems come across certain, dedicated social institutions that reflect, represent and form an important part of the wider society. This encounter is to a great extent verbal; therefore, the use of language or languages here can serve as an object of observation for the researcher. The agency of the social actors in question – patients, relatives and staff members in selected settings – manifests largely in speaking, including sometimes a choice of available languages and language variations. This choice is influenced by the pragmatism of the ‘problem’ that brings the patient to those institutions but also simultaneously determined by the dynamic complexity of sociohistorical and economic circumstances. It is surprising for many policy makers and theorists that social suffering has not lessened in recent decades in spite of global technological advancements and increased democracy. This thesis demonstrates through ethnographic examples that existing provisions (particularly in biomedicine) that have been created to attend to problems of mental health may operate contrary to the principle of help. In the case of Mauritius, this distress is significantly due to postcolonial inequities and elite rivalries that are in significant measure associated with the use of postcolonial languages. Biomedical institutions and particularly the encounters among social actors in biomedical institutions, which are not isolated or independent from the prevailing social context, can contribute to the reproduction of social suffering.

Conformément au constat de l’OMS, il existe en France, comme ailleurs, des différences de santé entre différents groupes de population, qui découlent des conditions sociales dans lesquelles les gens naissent, grandissent, vivent, travaillent et vieillissent».En France, la réduction des inégalités sociales de santé est une priorité politique affichée, au travers notamment, des plans cancers successifs, les cancers étant les principales pathologies pourvoyeuses d’inégalités. Ces plans ont permis la mise en place du dépistage organisé du cancer colorectal et du cancer du sein, pour lesquels les inégalités sociales et territoriales de participation ainsi que les facteurs de non adhésion sont bien documentés et constituent autant de cibles potentielles pour des interventions. Cette thèse a pour objectif d’apporter des connaissances et des preuves nouvelles afin d’orienter les politiques et l’organisation du dépistage des cancers en se basant sur des éléments fondés, en particulier pour la réduction des inégalités sociales et territoriales. Elle présente deux études. PRADO est une étude d’intervention à unité de randomisation collective (Ilots Regroupés pour l’Information Statistique (IRIS)) multicentrique, stratifiée sur le caractère urbain/rural et la précarité des IRIS et conduite en deux groupes parallèles (Intervention vs Témoin), de 2011 à 2013 en Picardie. Dans le bras intervention, en complément des modalités usuelles du dépistage organisé du cancer colorectal un accompagnateur au dépistage a contacté par téléphone les sujets n’ayant pas réalisé le test de dépistage sur les deux campagnes précédentes. L’étude a montré que cette intervention a permis d’augmenter la participation et a identifié les conditions dans lesquelles ce type d’intervention pourrait réduire les inégalités sociales. La deuxième étude évalue l’intérêt d’un sénographe mobile (le mammobile) dans le cadre du dépistage organisé du cancer du sein. Une analyse rétrospective du mammobile de l’Orne sur 5 campagnes de dépistage montre que ce dispositif permet de réduire les inégalités sociales et territoriales de participation au dépistage. Le principe d’universalisme proportionné, le caractère multiniveau et intersectoriel de l’intervention, l’application du principe de littéracie et le respect du choix éclairé apparaissent comme les fondements d’une politique de santé publique visant à réduire les inégalités sociales dans le domaine du cancer. Le mode optimal d’évaluation de ces interventions dites complexes reste un enjeu de recherche majeur. / In accordance with the WHO's observation, there are differences in health between different population groups in France, as elsewhere, which result from the social conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age.In France, the reduction of social inequalities in health is a political priority, notably through successive cancer plans, with cancers being the main pathologies that provide inequalities. These plans have led to the introduction of organized screening for colorectal cancer and breast cancer, for which social and territorial inequalities of participation as well as non-adherence factors are well documented and constitute potential targets for interventions. This thesis aims to provide new knowledge and evidence to guide the policies and organization of cancer screening based on evidence, particularly for the reduction of social inequalities and territorial. She presents two studies. PRADO is an interventional study with a collective randomization unit (Grouped Islets for Statistical Information (IRIS)) multicentric, stratified on the urban / rural character and precariousness of IRIS and conducted in two parallel groups (Intervention vs Control), from 2011 to 2013 in Picardy. In the intervention arm, in addition to the usual modalities of organized screening for colorectal cancer, a screening assistant contacted by telephone those who did not carry out the screening test in the two previous round. The study showed that this intervention has increased participation and identified the conditions under which this type of intervention could reduce social inequalities. The second study evaluates the interest of a mobile radiography (the mammobile) in organized breast cancer screening. A retrospective analysis of the Orne device on five screening rounds shows that this device makes it possible to reduce the social and territorial inequalities of participation in screening. The principle of proportional universalism, the multilevel and intersectorial nature of intervention, the application of the principle of literacy and respect for informed choice appear as the foundations of a public health policy aimed at reducing social inequalities in the cancer field. The optimal mode of evaluation of these so-called complex interventions remains a major research issue.

Background: Many adults do not take recommended amounts of physical activity (PA). This is associated with adverse health outcomes such as obesity, overweight, diabetes and heart disease. Moreover, physical inactivity is socially patterned. People with lower socioeconomic status or who live in more deprived areas do less PA which may in turn contribute to inequalities in health outcomes. Identifying the causes and possible pathways for increasing PA and addressing health inequalities is a pressing national and international priority. There is increasing evidence that features of the built environment (BE) can support physical activities such as walking. The built environment may also ameliorate health inequalities by providing a supportive context for walking across diverse sections of the population. However, there is little evidence relating to the UK and Scottish context or about inequalities in these associations for different groups such as people with different demographic characteristics or people living in areas with different levels of deprivation. This study aimed to fill this knowledge gap, examining associations between built environments and walking in urban Scotland. It considered individual and spatial inequalities in these relationships. Methods: This study had a quantitative cross-sectional design. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) was used to create neighbourhood level BE measures of Area Walking Potential (AWP) across urban Scotland. These were destination accessibility, street connectivity, residential density and walkability (a composite measure of the former three measures). An examination of the distribution of AWP across Scotland and in relation to area deprivation was made. The measures were then appended to individual level walking data for adults aged 19+ years from the 2010 Scottish Health Survey. Regression analysis tested for associations between the AWP measures with four different walking outcomes: any walking, frequency of walking, achieving 30 minutes of walking per day and total minutes walked in the previous week. Individual and area level confounders were controlled for. Associations were examined using two sizes of neighbourhood area: 500m and 1000m zones around residential centres. Interactions with individual demographic, socioeconomic, household characteristics and area deprivation were evaluated. Results: There was modest evidence of positive associations between AWP and walking. After controlling for covariates, destination accessibility showed the strongest associations with frequency of walking. There were limited associations for street connectivity and walkability and no associations between residential density and walking. Positive associations remained for some groups less likely to walk, such as older adults. However, there were also interaction effects showing inequalities in associations between AWP and walking. In particular, people with lower educational attainment were less influenced by AWP. The spatial analysis showed areas with lowest deprivation had lowest AWP although people in more deprived areas walked less overall. Conclusions: There is some evidence that the BE supports some types of walking in Scotland. The BE may also enhance walking opportunities for certain groups who generally walk less, and therefore could potentially reduce inequalities in health outcomes. However, the socioeconomic inequalities in outcomes suggest multifaceted approaches to increasing walking are more likely to reach all sections of the population. The evidence that there are geographic inequalities in levels of AWP can be used to inform geographically targeted interventions aimed at improving walking environments. This research has generated original evidence in the Scottish context, highlighting the importance of context specific research.

nÃo hà / As necessidades de saÃde da populaÃÃo nÃo sÃo atendidas de forma satisfatÃria, delineando desafios de diversas ordens Ãs prÃticas de saÃde. A superaÃÃo deste cenÃrio implica conhecer as necessidades dos grupos sociais e criar instrumentos e estratÃgias para atendÃ-las, o que requer esforÃos das ciÃncias e prÃticas em saÃde coletiva. Esta pesquisa analisa necessidades de saÃde em periferias urbanas de uma cidade mÃdia do Nordeste brasileiro. Ancorado no mÃtodo dialÃtico, as necessidades foram analisadas em sua articulaÃÃo com a totalidade, buscando a explicitaÃÃo das mediaÃÃes e contradiÃÃes envolvidas. Realizaram-se entrevistas semiestruturadas com moradores, observaÃÃes de campo, aplicaÃÃo de questionÃrio, alÃm de pesquisa documental. Evidenciaram-se cinco conjuntos de necessidades: necessidade de produtos e serviÃos biomÃdicos; necessidade de dinheiro para consumir produtos e serviÃos biomÃdicos; necessidade de alimentos saudÃveis; necessidade de hÃbitos saudÃveis; e necessidade de boas relaÃÃes interpessoais com os trabalhadores dos serviÃos de saÃde. Embora agrupadas, elas sÃo singulares aos modos de vida individuais e coletivos, tecidos numa trama que articula atores sociais, polÃticos, culturais, econÃmicos, cientÃficos e midiÃticos; e revelam contradiÃÃes em sua maioria desfavorÃveis à satisfaÃÃo das necessidades de saÃde e um processo de reproduÃÃo social fortemente direcionado para a acumulaÃÃo do capital. As necessidades de saÃde sÃo multidimensionais, assumem conteÃdos e formas diversificadas, conforme as especificidades de vida e saÃde dos sujeitos individuais e coletivos. Carecem, para sua apreensÃo, de mÃtodos inscritos em diferentes tradiÃÃes de pesquisa, sendo apenas parcialmente capturadas pelos indicadores epidemiolÃgicos tradicionalmente utilizados nos sistemas de saÃde. / The health needs of the population are not answered satisfactorily, outlining challenges of various orders to health practices. Overcoming this scenario implies knowing the needs of social groups and creating tools and strategies to meet them, which requires efforts of sciences and practices in public health.This research examines health needs in urban peripheries of a midsize city in Northeast Brazil. Anchored in the dialectical method, needs were analyzed in conjunction with their entirety, seeking clarification of mediations and contradictions involved.Semi-structured interviews were conducted with residents,besides field observations, questionnaires, as well as documentary research. They evidenced five sets of needs: need for biomedical products and services; need for money to consume biomedical products and services; need for healthy food; need for healthy habits; and need for good interpersonal relationships with employees of health services.Although grouped together, those needs are singular to the individual and collective lifestyles, woven into a web that articulates social, political, cultural, economic, scientific and media actors; and reveal contradictions that are mostly unfavorable to meet the health needs and a process of social reproduction that is strongly targeted to the accumulation of capital.Health needs are multidimensional,they assume diverse forms and contents, according to the specificities of life and health of individuals and groups. For their recognition, they require methodsenrolled in different research traditions, being only partially captured by the epidemiological indicators traditionally used in health systems.

Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs) are new local government (LG) sub-committees tasked with assessing local health and social care needs, and developing strategies for promoting integration and tackling health inequalities; yet they have no statutory authority to compel action. This research explored how they approached tackling health inequalities, focussing on the role of environmental health (EH), the LG public health occupation, in the pre-shadow and shadow stages and as they went live in April 2013. Four case study sites (based around individual HWBs) were purposively sampled to ensure that a variety of HWBs were included, including unitary and two-tier authorities and urban, suburban and rural areas. Data collection at each case study site included semi-structured interviews, observation of HWB meetings, and documentary analysis and extended for 18 months from early 2012. In addition, EH practitioners and managers were interviewed from each of the English regions to provide a wider context. The data was analysed thematically both inductively and deductively using Atlas.ti. and conclusions drawn. HWBs were varied in their structures, practices and intentions and some changed considerably during the research, as would be expected at a time of new policy development and implementation. There was evident commitment and enthusiasm from HWB members to improve the health of local populations. However it is unclear what ‘success’ will be or how it will be measured and attributed to the work of the HWB, and there were some tensions between the various parties involved. There was an espoused commitment to the principles of Marmot, in particular to children, however much of the focus during HWB meetings was on integrating health and social care. Taking action on many of the social determinants of health is outside the core sphere of HWB control, however they did not generally appear to be utilising some of the readily available tools, such as EH work to improve local living and working conditions. EH was found to be largely ‘invisible’ within its own public health community and does not have a tradition of evidence based practice needed to secure funding in the new system. This, along with the decline of the regulatory role, has led to a period of reflection and adaptation. The research findings are linked by the policy approaches of ‘doodle’ and localism, including the shrinking of the state, and in particular the retreat of statutory and regulatory roles and the introduction of overt political values in policy making; shifting the focus to relationships, partnership-building, integration and the impact of individuals. The contexts in which the research has taken place, both at local and national levels, including financial austerity, major health restructuring, and high national and local expectations are all significant factors which have shaped the findings.

Die Ergebnisse des Kinder- und Jugendgesundheitssurveys (KiGGS) enthüllen Unterschiede im Gesundheitsstatus und Gesundheitsverhalten in Deutschland je nach Einkommen, Bildungsstand und Berufswahl der Kinder und Jugendlichen selbst bzw. von deren Eltern. Besonders stark ausgeprägt sind die sozialen Unterschiede im Hinblick auf den allgemeinen Gesundheitszustand, psychische und Verhaltensauffälligkeiten sowie Übergewicht. Auch in allen anderen europäischen Staaten kumulieren Mortalität, Morbidität und verhaltensbedingte Risikofaktoren in den unteren sozioökonomischen Statusgruppen. In Europa differiert die Lebenserwartung bei Männern in höheren und niedrigeren sozialen Positionen durchschnittlich um fünf Jahre. Die Entwicklung von Strategien zur Bekämpfung sozialer Ungleichheiten in der Gesundheit ist eine der größten Herausforderungen unserer heutigen Gesellschaft. / The national representative survey on the health of children and adolescents in Germany (KiGGS) revealed social inequalities in health and health behaviour in Germany according to income, education and occupation of both the children and adolescents themselves and their parents. Social inequalities in general health status, psychological or behavioural disorders, and overweight seem to be most alarming. Mortality, morbidity and detrimental health behaviour accumulate in the subpopulation with a low socioeconomic position (SEP) across Europe. The average difference in life expectancy in European men with a high and low SEP is 5 years. The development of policies and strategies to tackle this important public health issue is a major present and future challenge.

La France est caractérisée par un bon état de santé global et d'importantes inégalités sociales de santé. Le renouveau d'intérêt pour ces dernières est l'occasion de questionner une définition univoque centrée sur les résultats au détriment des procédures, dans un pays qui a axé ses politiques de lutte sur le système de soins. La médecine générale y a une place particulière par son apparition récente en tant que spécialité universitaire et la nécessité de se définir qui s'ensuit. Elle est décrite tout à la fois comme pivot du système de soins, agent de santé publique ou chantre d'une relation inter-individuelle et d'une prise en charge globale. Si la médecine est fondée sur les données de la science, elle est aussi une profession prudentielle en ce qu'elle prend en compte des situations singulières, générant de l'incertitude dans la pratique. Parmi les sources de singularité, l'aspect social, tant du patient que du médecin, est à considérer. Dans sa pratique, ce dernier éprouve cependant une diversité de social. Tantôt obstacle à son activité professionnelle et vu comme extérieur au médical, tantôt élément apparenté aux données de la science par l'épidémiologie, il peut aussi être une brique de la construction individuelle du patient sur laquelle s'appuyer, conduisant parfois à une moralisation des conduites et des identités. Les caractéristiques sociales du médecin sont quant à elles souvent oubliées, comme s'il était neutre ou simple représentant de la science. C'est pourtant dans l'interaction entre ces deux mondes que se jouent aussi les inégalités sociales de santé et tout se passe comme si le médecin ne pouvait bien soigner que ses semblables. / France is characterized by a good overall health status and high social inequalities in the health sector. The renewed interest in health inequalities is the opportunity to question a unique definition focused on results at the expense of processes, in a country where policies on tackling inequalities are based on the health care system. General practice has a particular position in this system, as a new academic speciality, which still needs to figure out how to define itself. It is described simultaneously as a heath care system gatekeeper, a public health officer or an advocate for inter-individual relationship and holistic care. While medicine is based on scientific evidence, it is also a prudential profession as it considers singular situations, generating uncertainty in practice. Among singular sources, social characteristics of both patients and doctors have to be considered. However, in their practice, physicians experience a diversity of social. Sometimes a barrier to the professional activity and considered external to the medical world, sometimes considered as part of scientific evidences by epidemiology, it could also be considered as a component of the individual construction of the patient on which the physician can rely, with the potential to lead to a moralization of behaviours and identities. The physician's social characteristics are often omitted, as if doctors were neutral or mere representatives of science. It is however in the interaction between these two worlds that social determinants of health inequalities can be found, and it seems that a physician could only provide good care to patients sharing the same similarities.

A mortalidade materna é conhecida como um importante indicador de saúde relacionado à qualidade de vida e ao desenvolvimento de uma população, sendo considerada evitável em 95% dos casos. Apesar dos avanços tecnológicos, a mortalidade materna no nosso meio ainda não alcançou os níveis considerados aceitáveis pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS). Estudo realizado em Porto Alegre, RS, mostrou que há um padrão muito heterogêneo de causas. Tais aspectos instigaram a realização deste estudo, cujos objetivos foram caracterizar a distribuição geográfica da mortalidade materna em Porto Alegre, segundo suas causas, características sócio-demográficas, obstétricas e tipo de serviço de saúde de referência em atenção primária, no período de 1999 a 2008. Foram estudados 96 casos correspondentes à totalidade dos óbitos maternos no período. Os dados foram obtidos no Sistema de Informação de Mortalidade (SIM) e Sistema de Informação sobre Nascidos Vivos (SINASC), complementados por busca em prontuários hospitalares e nos registros do Comitê Municipal de Estudos e Prevenção das Mortes Maternas (CMEPMM). Analisou-se a razão de morte materna (RMM), a RMM proporcional por grupos de causas, cor da pele [branca e não branca (preta, parda e amarela)], escolaridade, faixa etária e variáveis obstétricas O georreferenciamento foi realizado através da identificação do código de logradouros (CDL) dos endereços das declarações de óbito alocadas no território das gerências distritais do município. Os programas utilizados foram: Link Plus, Access e Excel 2003, ArcView Gis 3.2.a e Arc Explorer 2.0. Os resultados mostraram que a mortalidade materna no período foi de 47,84 óbitos/100.000 nascidos vivos (NV), com uma diminuição média de 3% ao ano. Entretanto, algumas causas estão aumentando, como SIDA e doenças clínicas. As principais causas foram as doenças clínicas, SIDA, doenças cardiovasculares (DCV) e a doença hipertensiva da gestação (DIHG). O risco de óbito foi maior para a faixa etária de 35 anos ou mais, para as mulheres com cor de pele não branca e com menor escolaridade, sendo de grande magnitude nas analfabetas. Todas as causas tiveram maior risco de óbito nas não brancas. As causas como aborto, hemorragia, infecção puerperal e SIDA, associadas às condições de maior vulnerabilidade social, foram mais importantes para as mulheres com cor de pele não branca, menor escolaridade e nas que não realizaram pré-natal. O georreferenciamento mostrou que há diferenças no risco de óbito materno, risco de óbito proporcional por tipo de causa (aborto, hemorragia, SIDA), escolaridade e cor de pele, identificando áreas de iniqüidades, mesmo dentro de regiões com melhor colocação no ranking do desenvolvimento humano municipal. Embora a mortalidade materna esteja reduzindo, seu perfil evidencia iniqüidades que necessitam de intervenções, tanto nos determinantes sociais quanto na qualidade da assistência à saúde. / Maternal mortality is known as a major health indicator related to quality of life and to population development, and it is considered avoidable in 95% of cases. Despite technological advances, maternal mortality in our country has not reached levels considered acceptable by the World Health Organization (WHO). A previous study in Porto Alegre, RS, showed a very heterogeneous pattern of causes. These aspects led to the present study, whose aims were to characterize the spatial distribution of maternal mortality in Porto Alegre according to sociodemographic and obstetrical causes and type of reference health services in primary care, during the period from 1999 to 2008. Ninety-six cases were studied, corresponding to the total number of maternal deaths between 1999 and 2008. The data were obtained from the SIM and SINASC systems, and complemented by looking at hospital charts and the records of the Municipal Committee of Studies and Prevention of Maternal Deaths (CMEPMM). Analyses were performed according to the maternal mortality ratio (MMR), proportional MMR according to groups of causes, skin color [white or nonwhite (black, brown and yellow)] schooling and age group, and some obstetrical variables. Georeferencing was performed by identifying street codes (código de logradouros –CDL) of territorialization areas of the municipal management districts. The programs used were Link Plus, Access and Excel 2003, ArcView Gis 3.2.a and Arc Explorer 2.0. The data showed that maternal mortality in Porto Alegre, was 47.84 deaths/100,000 live births (LB), and presented a mean reduction of 3% a year. However, some causes are increasing, such as AIDS and clinical diseases. The main causes were clinical diseases, AIDS, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). The risk of death was higher for the age group of 35 years or over, non-white skin color, less schooling, and higher in illiterate women. All causes presented a higher risk of death in non-white skin color. Causes such as abortion, hemorrhage, puerperal infection and AIDS, associated with greater social vulnerability, were more important for non-white women with less schooling and those who did not receive antenatal care. Geographic distribution allowed observing that there are differences in the risk of maternal death, risk of death proportional to type of cause (abortion, hemorrhage, AIDS), level of schooling, skin color, identifying areas of iniquity even within regions better placed in the ranking of municipal human development.. Although maternal deaths have been diminishing their profile shows iniquities that require intervention, both in social determinants and in improving the quality of health care.

En viktig determinant för hälsa är delaktighet på arbetsmarknaden. Det framkommer att denna delaktighet inte alltid är lika stor för alla grupper i samhället. Andelen individer med olika former av funktionsnedsättningar som är delaktiga på arbetsmarknaden är lägre jämfört med den övriga arbetsföra befolkningen. Detta kan betraktas som en orsak till ojämlik i hälsa.Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur individer med psykiska funktionsnedsättningar samt inlärningssvårigheter upplever att delaktighet på arbetsmarknaden påverkar deras hälsa. För att besvara syftet användes en kvalitativ metod med sex halvstrukturerade intervjuer som datainsamlingsmetod. Det insamlade datamaterialet analyserades med hjälp av en manifest innehållsanalys. Resultatet i studien visar på att sådant som hindrar delaktighet på arbetsmarknaden bland annat var avsaknad av stöd men också krav. En sen upptäckt av funktionsnedsättningen upplevs även det hindrande för delaktighet på arbetsmarknaden. Främjande för delaktighet var erhållande av stöd och krav samt att den omgivande miljön är förstående för vad som kan behövas vid en funktionsnedsättning. Det framkommer också att delaktighet på arbetsmarknaden har positiv betydelse för den självupplevda hälsan. Slutsatser som kan dras av denna studie är bland annat att funktionsnedsattas delaktighet på arbetsmarknaden är ett viktigt område att arbeta med för att minska ojämlikhet i hälsa. / An important determinant of health is participation in the labour market. It appears that participation in the labour market not always is equal for all groups in the society. The proportion of individuals with various forms of disabilities involved in the labour market is lower in comparison with rest of the working population. This is something that can be seen as a cause of inequality in health.The purpose of this study was to examine how individuals with psychological impairments and learning disabilities experience that participation in the labour market affects their health. To answer the purpose of this study a qualitative method with six semi-structured interviews was used to collect data. The collected data were analyzed with a manifest content analysis. The results of the study indicate that barriers for participation in the labour market were the lack of support but also demands. A late discovery of the disability is experienced to be a barrier for participation in the labour market. Promoting factors for the participation was to receive support and demands as well as a surrounding environment that understands what might be needed in the event of a disability. The results also indicate that participation in the labour market has positive effects on self-perceived levels of health. Conclusions that can be drawn from this study are that disabled people's participation in the labour market is an important area that requires work, in order to reduce health inequalities.