Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health

Question 1

Why is it difficult to measure socio-economic status?

Answer 1

It can be measured in many ways, eg individual occupation, area in which people live etc.

Question 2

True or false - deprivation is not routinely associated with ill health?

Answer 2

False - the more deprived a person is, the larger the proportion of their life will be spent in ill health, and the more likely they will die at a younger age.

Question 3

Which services do deprived groups use the most and the least?

Answer 3

Most: GP, emergency. Least: preventative, specialist

Question 4

What is proportionate universalism?

Answer 4

to reduce health disadvantages caused by social inequalities, actions must be universal, but with a scale and intensity that is proportionate to the level of disadvantage

Question 5

What is the artefact explanation of health inequalities?

Answer 5

due to the way stats are collected and in particular to probs with measuring social class

Question 6

What is the materialist explanation of health inequalities?

Answer 6

due to differing access to material resources

e.g. low income, unemployment, poor housing

Question 7

What is the inverse care law?

Answer 7

the availability of good medical care tends to vary inversely with the need of the pop

Question 8

Outline the prevention paradox

Answer 8

interventions that make a diff at pop level might not have much effect on the individual

Question 9

What is the social selection explanation of health inequalities?

Answer 9

direction of causation is from health to social position

e.g. sick individuals move down the social hierarchy, health individuals move up

Question 10

What is the behavioural-cultural explanation of health inequality?

Answer 10

ill health is due to peoples choices, decisions, knowledge and goals