Health inequalities in Latin America and the Caribbean: child, adolescent, reproductive, metabolic syndrome and mental health

Abstract

We report on and compare health inequalities in Latin America and the Caribbean on a broad set of health domains, and across three key dimensions: socio-economic status, urban/rural residence, and sex. The poorest are burdened by worst access to maternal care and higher levels of infant mortality and child stunting. Despite being knowledgeable about contraceptive methods, young women have very high levels of teenage pregnancy with a steep socio-economic gradient. Noncommunicable diseases also affect the poor disproportionately. Mental health is a growing source of lost days of healthy living among women and the poor. Overall, our results highlight that despite the epidemiological transition which is underway, socio-economic health disparities are still more important on early childhood and teenagerhood than in adulthood. At the same time, while socio-economic inequalities in child health are smaller in the richest countries, the contrary happens with inequalities in adult health.