Relationship between social class and health. The Relationship Between Social Class and Health Essay Example 2022-10-16
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The relationship between social class and health is a complex and multifaceted one, with various factors influencing the ways in which individuals' social class can impact their health outcomes.
One aspect of this relationship is the fact that individuals who are part of lower social classes are often more likely to experience negative health outcomes. This can be due to a variety of factors, including access to healthcare, living conditions, and levels of stress and social support.
For example, those in lower social classes may have less access to healthcare due to financial constraints or lack of insurance coverage. This can lead to delays in seeking medical treatment, which can in turn lead to more serious health problems. Additionally, individuals in lower social classes may live in neighborhoods that are more polluted or have fewer resources, such as grocery stores or parks, which can negatively impact their health.
Stress and social support can also play a role in the relationship between social class and health. Those in lower social classes may experience higher levels of stress due to financial insecurity, job instability, and other challenges, which can contribute to poor physical and mental health outcomes. On the other hand, those in higher social classes may have more social support and resources to cope with stress, which can lead to better health outcomes.
Overall, the relationship between social class and health is complex and multifaceted, with various factors influencing the ways in which social class can impact health outcomes. It is important for policymakers and healthcare providers to address these issues and work towards reducing health disparities based on social class.
Relationship between social class and health
The report revealed very large differences in death rates between social classes and although general health was improving, these differences were not declining Wilkinson, 1986; Wadsworth, 1997 Appendix 1. The apparent focus on productivity at any cost, and the control of public discourse by a powerful business elite suggests we have a long way to go before we can create economic and social conditions that support all people to achieve their potential. How does social exclusion affect health and wellbeing? However Black 1980 concluded that should this possibility have truth, it would not play a significant factor. Secondly is material explanation. The Black Report demonstrates ways in which behaviour may be embedded in material conditions. The Biomedical Model is mainly used by physicians in diagnosing diseases.
. On the other hand Bloor et. Ustun and Jacob, 2005 Condition of health depends on a number of factors like the genetic, environmental and nutritional ones; which ultimately is related to the standard of living of the people. This research will begin with the statement that around the turn of the twentieth century, there was so much inequality that the middle class and the working class could not afford the same standards of living. The unequal distribution of power, money and resources also creates health inequities. Poor health can also lead to social exclusion. The model further emphasises the significance of material factors, and therefore tackling these inequalities should be the aim of health policies.
What Is The Relationship Between Social Class And Mental Health
This scale intended to be more of a general classification of social advantage and disadvantage. London: Ballierre Tindall, pg 91-109. . Use a Discount Cooke, H. What is the relationship between social inequality and poor mental health? People who identify in the lower spectrum of the gradient tend to face numerous health issues but are not able to access healthcare facilities when needed.
The Relationship Between Social Class and Health Essay Example
. . After analysing the alternative options, the materialist explanation continues to offer the greatest contribution when explaining socioeconomic health inequalities. The Black Report brought forward four explanations to account for these inequalities. However, the data on health selection is conflicting, somewhat due to a need for a distinction between health-related social mobility and how it explains social gradients in health the health selection hypothesis. Influential factors may include social class, household income, education, occupation, poverty and poor housing could lead to ill health such as respiratory problems. .
The Relationship between Social Class and Health Term Paper
It requires a long-term view, and sustained political will. Cultural explanation Low social class people usually live within unhealthy lifestyles. The Marxists theory is an explanation of how society works, how and why history unfolded and an account of the nature of capitalism. It found that the overall health of the nation had improved but the improvement was not equal across all the social classes, and the gap in inequalities in health between the lower and higher social classes is widening. For example, surveys commonly show that Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Black-Caribbean people report the poorest health, with Indian, East African Asian and Black African people reporting the same health as White British, and Chinese people reporting better health. The obvious one being that smoking can lead to heart disease and various forms of cancer whilst eating fatty foods can lead to heart disease or obesity. These risky behaviors are unevenly shared between the classes and this contributes to the disparity.
Social Class And Patterns Of Health And Illness Sociology Essay
Being socially healthy means increased degree of happiness including sense of belonging and concern for others. The Black report also presented Health selection as a potential explanation for socioeconomic health differences. This explanation is preferred by the medical profession and health experts, and often suggests that such behaviours are basically under individual control. The sociology of health, illness, and health care: A critical approach. Natural or social selection: this explanation suggests that physical weakness and poor health conveys little social value as well as low economic. They eat a lot of junk and fatty foods form a great percentage of their dietary.
Thus it can be suggested that health is a function of welfare and hence is considered as one of the responsibilities of the welfare state. This assumption however may be misleading as official mortality statistics understate the health effects of occupational hazards, since material factors of likely aetiological significance have been ignored, and because their combined effect is barely researched Blane 1985:439. . If this is the case it could lead to ineffective policy interventions and to holding lower classes responsible for proceedings which are outside their control. . It affects how we think, feel, and act. Another aspect that Sir Marmot discussed was that social and economic conditions influence parenting which affects early child development.
However it appears that to completely ignore the life-course approach would be unwise. This is something that Sir Marmot says every country needs to be taking note of why they are so far ahead with tacking these public health issues compared to the rest of us. Most studies of geographical areas illustrate poor health and high mortality characterised by poverty Gorey and Vena, 1995 quoted in Bartley, 2004 , unemployment Sloggett and Joshi quoted in Bartley, 2004 or pollution Mackenbach, Looman and Kunst quoted in Bartley, 2004. According to this suggestion, those with initially poorer health may be restricted in improving their social position and are likely to have lower paid and unskilled jobs health-related social mobility. This controlled study involving healthy men 125 and women 151 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania discovered that those who have more types of social relationships, such as spouse, parents, parents-in-law, children, other close family members, close neighbors, friends, workmates, schoolmates, fellow volunteers in charity or community work, members of groups without religious affiliations e. Patterns of ethnic differences in health are varied, and connected with a lot of factors for example: Some BME groups experience worse health than others.
