Who benefits from social investment? The gendered effects of family and employment policies on cardiovascular disease in Europe
In the context of fiscal austerity in many European welfare states, policy innovation often takes the form of ‘social investment’, a contested set of policies aimed at strengthening labour markets. Social investment policies include employment subsidies, skills training and job-finding services, early childhood education and childcare and parental leave. Given that such policies can influence gender equity in the labour market, this article analyses the possible effects of such policies on gender health equity. The results showed that social investment policies were negatively associated with cardiovascular disease mortality, but the ameliorative effects of specific policies were gendered.
Authors: K. Ann Morris, J. Beckfield, C. Bambra
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