Health and Social Class Essay - 2278 Words

The aim of this essay is to examine the influence that socio-economic status has on an individual’s health. â€Å"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity† (WHO, 1948.) Social Stratification is a term used by sociologists to describe inequalities that exist between society and us as individuals and can also be described as a hierarchy with the less privileged people at the bottom and the more favoured people at the top. (Giddens, 2006) Anthony Giddens (2006) defines class as â€Å"a large-scale group of people who share common economic resources, which strongly influence the type of lifestyle they are able to lead.† (pg 300). Karl Marx, a sociologist in the 19th†¦show more content†¦The report gives a clear analysis of how inequality runs from the richest to the poorest. Using the RGSC’s scales one of the reports most famous findings was that a child of an unskilled manual worker would die 7 years earlier than a child born to professional parents. (Macionis amp; Plummer, 2005). Other findings were that people in class V were more likely to die of conditions like heart disease, cancer or stroke than those in class IV. It was evident that people in class I had a longer life expectancy, better health with lower death rates. (O’Donnell, 2005). The Black Report look at four main reasons which may explain the inequalities in health:- The Artefact Explanation Artefact being something made by people so there may have been some flaws in the findings. The official mortality and morbidity statistics could have been invalid or unreliable and it’s argued that observed social gradients in health maybe the product of poor quality data. Although this work confirmed that there were health inequalities it was suggested that it was underestimated by conventional analysis. (Asthana amp; Halliday, 2006). A study showed The authors of the black report didn’t find this explanation very convincing based on the fact that working class groups have not contracted as much as is often supposed, while poor health affects all manual workers, not just those classified as unskilled. (Kirby et al, 2000) The Health/Social Explanation The social selection is based on aShow MoreRelatedSocioeconomic And Social Class And Health1489 Words   |  6 Pagessocioeconomic class and his/her social situation can have an impact on his/her health, using examples. We believe that there is a direct link between socioeconomic/social class and health (Adler et al. 1994). I will be defining the key terms: socioeconomic and health, social class then proceed to discuss about how poverty, income, employability, environment and housing can impact on a person’s social situation and their health. Socioeconomic status is a term used to weigh up a person’s/family social and economicRead MoreSocial Class And Its Effects On Health1336 Words   |  6 PagesAll over the world status hierarchy and social class are a common concept of how well we live our lives, however they affect our lives more than we think. Social class can affect many things such as education, opportunities presented to us, economic factors, and even our health. Recently socioeconomic status effects on health has become a more popular topic of discussion but is nothing new to researchers. â€Å"Research on socioeconomic inequalities in health in the UK has a long history. In the earlyRead MoreEssay On Social Class And Health1489 Words   |  6 Pagesexplain how a person’s situation can impact their health. I will provide a better understanding of how a person’s social situation and economic class can have a problem with their social inequalities in healthcare. I will discuss the relations hip between class and health with examples from different counties and compare the aspects that determine social class. According to Oxford Dictionary social class is defined as â€Å"a division of a society based on social and economic status† (Oxford University PressRead MoreDifference Between Health And Social Class1333 Words   |  6 PagesVariations in health and inequality have always been the subject of debates and studies throughout the last century; explanations varied from: our lifestyles, our ethnicity, and even our gender. So why after 100 years of studying this worldwide phenomenon, and producing detailed statistical evidence, with well-informed debates are we still living in a society where inequality in health still exists? One would expect with so much progress in medicine, vast improvements in our living/housing standards;Read MoreRace, Class, and the Social Determinants of Health629 Words   |  3 Pagesreasons, it is easier for the monied classes to access quality health care when needed and, in general, lead healthier lifestyles. People of higher socioeconomic groups have been shown to live longer (Scrambler, 2012). Beginning with higher infant mortality rates, lower socioeconomic groups often face a lifetime of challenges to good health and longevity. David and Messer (2011) reported on a study by the National Institutes of Health that revealed the rate of infant mortality among African AmericanRead MoreHow Social Class Affects The Mental Health Of The Upper Class Essay1102 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Mental health issues can affect anyone at any point in their life, but does your social class have anything to do with the type of mental health issue you have? There have been studies that focus on poverty and how that affects the mental health of the lower class, but how does social status affect the mental health of the upper class? There is a need to see how social status affects the mental health of the upper class, so we can compare it to that of the middle and lower classes.Read MoreSocial Variables Of Race, Gender, Class And Health914 Words   |  4 Pagesincorporated more areas of social life using specialized fields of inquiry (Giddens Sutton, 2010). Browne (2005) argues that sociology in simpler terms is planned and organized study of human groups and social life in modern societies, more so concerned with social institution. Contribution of sociologist in understanding human behavior is remarkable. The aim of this paper is to explain how sociologist views the relations hip between the key social variables of race, gender, class and health. The relationshipRead MoreA Good Standard Of Health, Welfare, And Social Class1984 Words   |  8 PagesEmployment/Unemployment 9 â€Æ' 1 Summary 2 Introduction Within the Constitution of the World Health Organization (WHO) it declares that â€Å"The highest standards of health should be within reach for all, without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition† (WHO1946p2). Even as far back as 1946 it was clear that a good standard of health, welfare and social-class should be easily obtainable for all individuals without any discriminatory measures. In an age wereRead MoreHealth Disparities Of The United States : Social Class, Race, Ethnicity, And Health1606 Words   |  7 Pages but spends the most for health services. With so many Americans lacking the adequate care needed or facing bankruptcy due to piling medical bills, one must look at the health disparities that are causing this super power nation to inadequately serve its citizens. Donald Barr’s text Health Disparities in the United States: Social Class, Race, Ethnicity, and Health examines the various factors that can contribute to unequal health outcomes. He starts by defining health and disparities for us, makingRead MoreThe United States : Social Class, Race, Ethnicity, And Health1447 Words   |  6 Pagesdollar spent on health care in the U.S. is allocated to the management of diseases or debilities that stem from personal behaviors that can be changed by the individual (Andre et al)1. To what extent are people responsible for their own personal conduct and poor health decisions that result in serious, yet avoidable illnesses and disabilities? Will charging people higher health insurance premiums help curb poor health habits? In Health Disparities in the United States: Social Class, Race, Ethnicity