Life expectancy and inequality

Sir, – Your correspondent (Letters, September 22nd) may not be aware that the fall-off in life expectancy in the US and UK, after many years of improvement, is widely attributed to the increased social inequality arising from the neoliberal ethos in these societies, and is not replicated in countries with more egalitarian policies.

This is an important warning to countries such as Ireland that we have a common purpose across the lifespan to ensure solidarity and equity at all ages.

– Yours, etc,

Prof DES O’NEILL,

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Consultant in geriatric

medicine,

Tallaght University Hospital.