Week Eleven - Health Status & Health Inequalities Flashcards
How can we assess individual health status via self-reported measures?
Subjective Health
Daily Physical Symptoms
Chronic Conditions
How can we assess health status via medical/technological ways?
Cancer screening:
- breast
- cervical
- bowel
What is the gender difference in seeking a medical professional?
Men tend to not be as willing
What is a limitation to the government-based screening procedures?
Not everyone uses them even though they have the opportunity
Explain the ‘health doesn’t happen in a bubble’ concept
There are things that can happen outside of our control that impact health status
What are the contextual factors of health disparity?
gender sexual identity social class race/ethnicity geographical location
Explain the flint water crisis in Michigan
There was a change in the local pipe system which lead to high levels of lead contaminating the water.
Has lead to distrust in government with people still not drinking the water after 5 years - intergenerational affect
What is the diabetes belt?
Refers to the geographical location of US residents who live in this belt - they are more likely to have T2D.
However, limited evidence because underreporting of cases is possible in poorer areas
Relationship between breast-feeding and location?
People living in disadvantaged areas are less likely to be breastfed.
What are the infant gender differences in breastfeeding rates?
Female babies are less likely to be breastfed
Relationship between inequality and smoking rates?
Poorer are more likely to be regular smokers
As people age, what do we see in regard to subjective wellbeing?
As people age, there is a maintenance/slight improvement in subjective wellbeing
Explain the difference in subjective wellbeing with age in relation to the difference between poor/rich countries
Poorer countries subjective wellbeing seems to decline
Wealthier countries seems to increase
What can inequality do?
It can weaken the social fabric, damages health and increases crime rate
What are direct and indirect influences on health?
Direct: How we take care of our bodies
Indirect: Influences that are not directly under our control e.g., gender, race
What are the chronic illness onset differences between classes?
Poor: chronic conditions are typically greater at an earlier age
What causes early onset of chronic conditions in the poor?
Poor nutrition
Housing
Healthcare access
How does education play a role in the onset of illness?
Those who are better educated are more likely to consume a better diet, have better healthcare and less likely to smoke
What effect do tobacco taxes have for poor people?
It adds to their hardship they and their children experience
What racial group has the highest mortality rate?
African Americans
Young AA’s:
- 20x more likely to have high blood pressure
- 2x more likely to die
- 7x more likely to be victims of homicide
What % of Australia’s population were born overseas?
29.7%
How is education the starting point of ones SES?
Education leads to employment/occupational opportunities which determines income which determines wealth
Lower income is associated with what?
Higher rates of morbidity, physical impairments, disability, mortality, negative health behaviours
What is income related to?
A persons ability to accumulate wealth (assets)
What is the weathering hypothesis?
Cumulative effects of social and economic adversity (ie. discrimination and poverty) cause health problems at a younger age and earlier mortality
- health gap widens over a persons lifetime
- effects compound with age
What are the effects of acculturation?
Less acculturation makes one more likely to have physical and mental health problems
What are the effects of high stress?
more stress = more likely to become ill
What are cumulative disadvantages?
Living in unfavourable conditions early in life has very likely consequences for health later in life
- disadvantages accrue over time
What are the 4 main types of disability?
Physical
Sensory
Psychological
Intellectual
Those with a disability experience high levels of psychological distress - how much?
25%
How much more likely are those with a disability to experience violence?
1.5x more likely
What is the relationship between income and disability?
Generally have lower incomes with 45% living on or near the poverty line irregardless of education levels - they face discrimination and lack of social connection
