Health Inequality Sociology

Widening economic inequality in the United States is being accompanied by increasing health care disparity. While the health care system seeks to provide health care as a human right, it fails to do so often worsening the disparities (Dickman, Himmelstein, & Woolhandler, 2017). While health care today has made major strides, there are many people who are still suffering from health care system injustices. Of the people who are still uninsured a majority of them are in the middle-working class or those living in poverty. Poor Americans have less access to health care than wealthy Americans. The life expectancy gap between the rich and poor continues to widen. Health care in poor communities is too often neglected. This issue has been a trend in the United States for many years. In Abraham’s book, Mama might be better off dead these very same inequalities are evident for the Banes family. Because of these inequalities, preventive illness becomes life threatening causing care to then become extensive and even more expensive.

The relationship between the determinants of health and health outcomes had been thoroughly studied. In policies or programs to reduce and prevent health disparities, factors that contribute to the rise in trends are called the determinants of social health. It is equally important to recognize that childhood is an important time in which interventions can have a significant impact on health outcomes throughout life. (Dubiel et al, 2010)

Explain patterned inequalities in health and illness. Evaluate sources of evidence with regards to class, gender, ethnicity and age

In the segment of Unnatural Causes, “In Sickness and in Wealth”, the documentary highlights the health disparity created by different socioeconomic statuses. There are several factors that lead to these health differences, including but not limited to policies or lack of policies, and racism. Unnatural Causes draws on several family stories to exemplify the wealth health gradient. Within the family anecdotes, I was most intrigued by the idea of health access. This concept is highlighted throughout the different life cases in the segment. However, it is not just limited to these individuals, communities, and time period. Although health access is considered a universal right, access is not equal among individuals in the US. Access to health is determined by an individuals’ wealth. This is exemplified by the poor health outcomes of those in low-income communities; whereas, individuals in higher income communities have better health outcomes.

Here I argue in favour of the Australian government prioritising the improvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, even if substantial resources are required to do this. This is because:

Mortality rates: In gender men generally die earlier than women because of many aspects of their life, for instance in general women tend to take care of them self more physically. A lot of women go on diets and a lot of exercise DVDs and detunes are mainly aimed at women. Women in general do try to eat healthy and go on diets whereas men usually aren't very aware of their diet and don’t have much intention on improving it. Women also tend to go to the doctors and seek medical advice more often and have their illnesses diagnosed and treated more often than men. Because women' generally take more care of themselves and do more to keep themselves healthy.

In the article, Squeezing Blood From a Stone: How Income Inequality Affects the Health of the American Workforce. The researchers presented the new role that the term poverty has brought within the United States, who submits that “poverty now has deleterious effects on

Developing an effective collaborative and partnerships systems in addressing inequalities in health of people living with Long-term conditions in Staffordshire

Another challenge is addressing equity in the social determinants of health. Income shapes medical care, housing options, nutrition, physical activity, neighborhood conditions and stress (Braveman, 2012). Education is another important social determinant, which affects higher-income attainment, knowledge on health, literacy problems, problem-solving and coping skills (Braveman, 2012).

Ethnicity also plays a role in health inequalities. This factor is also closely linked to the socio-economic status mentioned above.The Health Survey for England conducted by Erens, Primatesta and Prior (2011) unleashed that many minority ethnic groups have smoking rates that are lower than that of the rest of the population. The higher smoking rates amongst some minority ethnic groups were connected to the socioeconomic position of these groups. The Office for National Statistics reported that minority ethnic groups were more likely than white groups to live in low income households in 2010 to 2011, although this varied by ethnic group. An exception to this was the smoking rate among Bangladeshi men, of whom 44% smoked. The survey also found

classes are perhaps not as clear as they used to be. But it is just as

The United States is world renowned for having the best health care if not the most accessible. Citizens have at their disposal a plethora of hospitals, physicians, and therapists to improve their well-being. Statistical data was taken back in 2010 under the Central Texas Region and studied health care coverage and income in regards to the community. The data displayed in the surveys heavily suggest that income/ health in general have a high correlation. The issue that arose with the given data imply that those who are on the lower end of the income spectrum subsequently have no health care coverage and poorer health than those with higher income. In any case with high correlation there are a number of factors influencing the statistical evidence, and in this case sociological barriers are present in regards of inequality and health care.

In the critical reflection 2, we will be recalling the term health inequality. And, find out the importance of needing a policy to answer the necessity of health disparity. In the first section of the paper, two of the policy solutions will be introduced and will also mention how these policies affect population, and the policy maker. The other section will state the pros and cons of the policies from the writer’s perspective. Finally, the conclusion emphasizes on the significance of answering health disparity by using the policies and how it helps to reduce the inequality.

The Black Report (1980) investigate the problem of health inequalities in the UK and the differences in health according to social class. The report highlighted that people in the lower economic class had a higher chance of experiencing ill- health and face a more detrimental effect on their health and even face untimely death than people of higher socio economic

An inequality that affects me on a personal and national level would be the lack of access to health education in school districts domestically and abroad in foreign countries. I was raised in a small rural town and our health class consisted of movies and reading an outdated textbook. So many students thought health was only about abstinence and refraining from using drugs. I remember thinking it was such a disservice to my fellow classmates for the school not to teach about the different qualities of health and preventable measures to take from sickness and disease. I came to college as a health major with the goal of helping other people learn about health education and how to care for their bodies. However, I was distressed to find so many