Figures have shown that people who live in the poorer areas of Scotland have worse health and die younger than those people who live in well-off areas. There are a number of reasons why this might be the case, such as a lack of education or good quality affordable food. Each of these reasons increases the inequalities of health in Scotland.

The Government has focused on the needs of people who live in the poorer areas of Scotland, by setting up the Ministerial Task Force on Health Inequalities. The Task Force looked at ways in which things could be changed to help those who have poor health by tackling the causes and the effects.

Young Scot, the national youth information agency for Scotland, was asked by the Government to find out what a representative group of young people in Scotland thought about health inequalities by asking what they think causes health inequalities and how it should be tackled?

Young Scot worked with a representative group of six young people to create the video consultation. This group of young people was set up to inform Young Scot and NHS Health Scotland of health issues which are important to young people, and to ensure young people have the opportunity to work with Young Scot and Health Scotland to improve the health information available to young people through Young Scot’s information products and services.

Each young person was supplied with a video camera and additional equipment. Training was provided by Young Scot for each member of the group, focusing on how to use the equipment and next steps for carrying out the consultation.

The young people were then tasked with answering a series of questions through a self-filmed video diary or blog. These questions were drawn up and approved by the Scottish Government, and covered a number of themes, including ‘Friends’, ‘Family’, ‘Education and Employment’ and ‘Smoking, Drugs and Alcohol’

The young people filmed themselves giving their views and answers on the themes, and were encouraged to gather the views of others in their lives, including other friends and family.

This site was built to feature these videos, alongside further information on the topic of health inequalities. For more information visit www.youngscot.org/channels/feelinggood/