Are legal problems bad for your health? Are health issues bad for your law?

This paper looks at the bi-directional relationship between health problems and legal problems. Data demonstrates a clear and strong link between health conditions and the experience of legal problems, raising further questions for research and discussion.

Analysis of the PULS shows that people with long-term illness or disability and/or elevated levels of mental distress have higher numbers of problems which last longer and are more severe. People in these categories are more likely to have debt, money and family problems than others — which often present in combination with other legal issues.

The consequences of legal problems are also investigated, including high levels of stress and loss of confidence, as well as physical injury. In addition, other significant life changes as a consequence of legal problems are likely to bear on mental health, leading to potential exacerbation of both legal problems and ill-health.

Analysis of legal capability raises the significant challenges people with chronic health issues and/or mental distress in responding to their legal problems. People in these groups have greater legal need and lower capability to respond to their legal problems, and entrenched negative attitudes.

Consistently across the measures, the evidence shows irrefutably that people with long-term illness or disability and/or mental distress have worse outcomes, and consequently their access to justice is seriously impaired.