SI - ST2: Health Inequality Flashcards
intro
There are many complex causes of poor health in the UK, including poverty. However, as well as poverty, there are a range of other factors that cause poor health. The following causes of poor health will be discussed: poverty, smoking and alcohol. Ultimately, it will be demonstrated that poverty is the factor most likely to cause poor health.
para 1 - KU
One reason for health inequality is poverty. This is because people living in poverty are more likely to live in poor living conditions as those who are unemployed or have a low income are more likely to live in small and cramped flats which might be cold or damp. Poor living conditions can have a major impact on a person’s health as they can lead to health problems such as respiratory problems e.g asthma or illnesses like pneumonia. Poorer people are also more likely to eat unhealthy, processed foods as they are cheaper than nutritious meals/foods. Microwave meals and takeaways cost less than healthy options like fruit, vegetables, etc. Poor diet can lead to health problems like obesity, cancer and heart disease.
para 1 - example
For example, the Joseph Rowntree 2022 Poverty report found that 25% of 16-34 year olds living in poverty reported living in less than good health, compared with 15% of those not living in poverty.
para 1 - A
This shows that poverty can cause health inequality because it leads to people inhabiting houses that are poor quality (e.g houses containing mold, damp, poor heating/insulation) and lead to lifelong, difficult health issues because long-term exposure to problems, like mould, can lead to problems that alter life forever, such as asthma. Poverty also has a significant affect on people’s mental health as it can lead to stress, anxiety, depression, etc. and often living in poverty makes it hard to receive treatment for these problems.
para 1 - lifestyle choices KU
However, lifestyle choices also play a role in causing health issues, showing that poverty may not be the main cause of health inequality. This is because there are a wide range of benefits and support for individuals to help them combat the impact of poverty on health, suggesting poverty isn’t the main cause of health inequality as help is accessible for lower income individuals.
para 1 - lifestyle choices example
For example, the UK has a free, universal healthcare system (the National Health Service) which can offer support with alcohol and smoking addictions as well as provide advice on diet.
para 1 - e
Overall, poverty is the most significant reason for health inequality because if you live in poverty you are more likely to have poor living conditions, including damp and mould which can lead to breathing problems. Poverty also means you are more likely to have a poor diet which leads to poorer health as a lack of nutrition can lead to weight loss and eating highly processed foods can lead to issues like obesity, which can then lead to greater health isuses, including heart problems.
para 2 - KU
Another reason for health inequality is smoking. This is because people that smoke risk becoming addicted and also make it more likely that a person will suffer health-related harm such as lung disease, cancer and early death.
para 2 - example
For example, ASH Scotland (Scotland’s Anti-Smoking Charity) found that there are almost 10,000 smoking related deaths in Scotland each year (16% of all deaths) and around 100,000 smoking related hospital admissions each year.
para 2 - A
This shows that choosing to smoke can cause health inequality because it can cause life altering/threatening healthcare issues that shorten a person’s life expectancy, leading to people dying younger than expected or living with the effects of smoking for a long time.
para 2 - poverty KU
However, people living in poverty may be more likely to smoke, showing poverty may be the bigger cause of health inequality. This is because people living in poverty might turn to smoking as a way of suppressing their hunger sas an alternative to spending money on food. People living in poverty might also smoke as a way of relieving their stress as poorer people experience stress related to material hardship.
para 2 - poverty example
For example, people who have 4 or more anxiety symptoms in the most deprived areas, 45% smoke in comparison to only 4% in the least deprived areas.
para 2 - e
Overall, poverty is a more important reason for health inequality than choosing to smoke as people living in poverty, through no fault of their own are more likely to smoke because it is normalised in more deprived areas, which can then lead to people feeling pressured to smoke because everyone around them is doing it. Smoking can be one of the few joys of life for people in poverty and helps them deal with the issues they face daily such as stress and hunger, which is why a lot of poor people do it. It is not a choice for many people.
para 3 - KU
A final reason for health inequality is choosing to abuse alcohol . This is because many Scottish people choose to incorporate drinking into their social lives. This can lead to a serious amount of harmful diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver and high blood pressure. Alcohol has also been shown to cause cancer, fertility problems and damage the immune system. Gender is also a factor when it comes to alcohol consumption, with men suffering from the consequences of alcohol more than women.
para 3 - example
For example, men are 2x more likely to die of an alcohol-specific death than women.
para 3 - A
This shows that abusing alcohol can cause health inequality because drinking alcohol can cause many problems that lead to death.
para 3 - poverty Ku
However, people living in poverty may be more likely to abuse alcohol, showing poverty may be the bigger cause of health inequality. This is because alcohol is often consumed by poorer people as a way of escaping for a while from their poverty related stresses and pressures. People in poverty also have higher levels of physical and mental health problems as well as higher issues of debt which could push them to drink.Deprived communities also have fewer facilities such as gyms, social clubs and community centres where people can meet and socialise with one another. This leaves little option than meeting in pubs with an expectation to drink. The opposite is true for affluent areas, as there is an influx of places for people to socialise that don’t involve alcohol/drinking.
para 3 - poverty example
For example, Health Scotland reports that the level of alcohol-specific deaths for those in the most deprived parts of Scotland was 8x higher than for those in the least deprived areas.
para 3 - e
Overall, alcohol is a significant cause of health inequality. However, it is not as important as poverty as alcohol consumption is heavily normalised in more deprived places, especially as pubs are one of the only places for people to socialise, which increases the pressure on an individual to consume or abuse alcohol. Consuming alcohol is also a way for poorer people to escape from the poverty related problems and pressures they face in everyday life.
conclusion
As set out, lifestyle choices such as smoking cause health inequality because people who choose to smoke may become addicted to it and risk suffering from health issues like lung disease, cancer and early death. In addition, alcohol causes health inequality because a lot of Scottish people decide to incorporate drinking into their social lives which can lead to health issues such as cirrhosis of the liver, high blood pressure, cancer, fertility problems as well as damaging the immune system. Ultimately however, this response shows that living in poverty will put people at greater risk of experiencing health inequalities in the UK because poorer people are likely to live in poor living conditions as they are likely to live in cramped flats that are possibly cold or damp. This can lead to problems like respiratory issues and illnesses like pneumonia. Additionally, poorer people are more likely to smoke as a way of coping with their poverty related issues and as a way of repressing their hunger. As well as this, poorer areas only have pubs as social areas which pressures people to drink when socialising. They may also use it as a coping method to help them forget their poverty related problems, showing poverty is the bigger cause.
