Go to Health podcast: How being poor makes you sick

Having less money can stack the odds against you when it comes to your health. Photo / file 27122919

In this summer podcast series, each week the New Zealand Herald and Newstalk ZB's Go to Health podcast will look at a different health issue. Today, it's how a low income hurts your health, and who's responsible for fixing it. Hosted by Frances Cook.

When you're short on money, just about everything becomes more difficult.

It's hard to get a house that's warm and dry. I remember all too well living in places where a breeze would rattle through the room even when all the doors and windows were technically shut.

It's also hard to feed yourself properly. Fruit and veges are expensive and only became more expensive through 2017.

It's cheaper to buy stacks of white bread and Weetbix, which will at least technically stop you feeling hungry.

It's also hard to plan for the future. You're in survival mode, and focusing all of your energy on getting through right now.

Good luck with putting aside savings or thinking about taking a course to get you into a well paid job, when you're dealing with all of that.

Obviously, these add up to causing some health problems, that can often make the money situation even worse.

I called Philippa Howden-Chapman, professor of public health at the University of Otago, Wellington, for the latest Go to Health podcast.

We talked about how money stress can hurt your health, what sort of health problems crop up, and where the line is between personal and social responsibility.

For the interview, listen to the podcast.

If you have a question about this podcast, or something you'd like me to investigate in a future episode, get in touch. I'm on Facebook here, Instagram here, and Twitter here.

Don't forget to subscribe to Go to Health, on the Apple podcasts app or I Heart Radio.