3: Inequalities in health Flashcards
Name some variables which influence health
Socioeconomic status, ethnicity, gender
Define social class
A segment of the population, distinguished from others by similarity in labour market position and property relations
How can SE status be measured?
Individual: Registrar general scheme, National Statistic socio-economic classification
Area based: Townsend deprivation score, Index of multiple deprivation
Describe the relationships between socioeconomic status and health
The less deprived a population is, the higher their life expectancy and disability free life expectancy
Mortality rates are higher in low SE groups
Health inequalities between regions
More deprived- higher proportion of life in ill health, more likely to die younger
What is ethnicity?
The identification with a social group, based on shared values, beliefs, customs, traditions, language and lifestyles
Describe some relationships between ethnicity and disease
CVS disease high in south asian men
Cancer low in black minority ethnic
Infant mortality high in Pakistani and Black Caribbean
Describe relationships between gender and health
Social and biological variance between men and women
‘Men die quicker but women get sicker’
Men - higher mortality, more suicide and violent death
Women - more mental illness, higher disability
What are the 4 explanations for health inequalities as outlined by the Black Report?
- Artefact
- Social selection
- Behavioural/cultural
- Materialistic
Describe the artefact explanation for health inequalities
Inequalities are evident due to the way in which statistics are collected - concerns about quality of data and measurement method
Mostly discredited
Describe the social selection explanation for health inequalities
Direction of causation is from health –> social position
Sick individuals move down the social hierachy
Plausible but contribution is only minor
Describe the behavioural/cultural explanation for health inequalities
Health is due to peoples choices, knowledge and goals
Disadvantaged - more likely to engage in risky behaviours - health education
Limitations: behaviours are the result of social process and not just individual choice. Difficult to excise choice in adverse conditions due to lack of materialistic resources.
Describe the materialistic explanation for health inequalities
Arise from different access to material resources - low income, unemployment, poor housing. Lack of choice due to adverse conditions, accumulation of factors over life course leads to poor health. Most plausible
Name 2 other explanations for health inequalities besides the Black Report
Psychosocial perspectives
Wilkinson’s theory of income distribution
Describe psychosocial perspectives on health inequalities
Psychosocial pathways associated with disadvantage act in addition to direct effects of material living standards.
Social gradient of psychosocial stressors.
Stress impacts on health - 4 ways from health psych: immune, physiological, health behaviours, mental health
Describe Wilkinson’s Theory of Income Distribution
Relative, not average income effects health - societies that are the most egalitarian have the best health. Social cohesion is important to health, links to the psychosocial explanation - reduces stress. Redistributive policies can improve health
