Cancer deaths have increased in countries affected by austerity and unemployment according to a new study. However countries with universal health care, such as the NHS in the UK, were protected from these effects and had fewer deaths.

The study published in The Lancet estimated that 260,000 extra cancer deaths had occured in countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), during the years 2008 to 2010, when the global recession was at its peak.

Seventy five high and middle income countries were included in the study, which investigated possible links between unemployment, public health care spending and cancer deaths. The data analysed is published by the …….

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