P-1461 - the Importance of Gender-proofing Government Policies to Ensure They do not Negatively Impact Upon Women’s Mental Health Inequalities

Abstract

Introduction:

The Irish government has introduced its fifth successive annual austerity budget with three more planned. These budgets have cut resources and funding to a wide range of social services and programmes negatively impacting upon the social determinants of vulnerable groups including women.

Objectives:

Assess Irish government's resource and budgetary allocation decisions as to how they impact upon the social determinants of women with particular reference to mental health inequality.

Aims:

1) Analyse how Irish government policies contribute to negative social determinants and women's mental health inequalities and b) what policies the Irish government should implement to eliminate these negative social determinants.

Methods:

A) review literature and discussion on impact of negative social determinants such as, inter alia, economic insecurity and poverty, on mental health inequities; b) analyse hardcopy and internet materials on how Irish government policies impact on social determinants contributing to mental health inequities amongst women and c) consult, where required, with organisations focusing on women's mental health and inequalities on the negative impact of current polices and the actions required to address them.

Results:

Current Irish government policies risk increasing mental health inequalities amongst women, especially those living in economically precarious situations.

Conclusions:

The Irish government needs to gender proof its policies particularly when considering policy and budgetary cutbacks in areas that predominantly affect women. The government also needs to introduce more gender-balanced proposals and reverse decisions taken to correct the policies introduced that have disproportionately impacted upon the negative social determinants of women's mental health.