Mental Health And Poverty

Poverty is not simply a deficiency in material resources, it is the complex situation of low income that limits ones access to many of the social determinants of health such as safe and suitable housing, food, child care, education, and can lead to social exclusion (Séguin et al, 2012). The experience of poverty in childhood, particularly early childhood, has been linked to many adverse health effects such as low birth weight, increased incidence of asthma, injuries, mental health issues and obesity (Sharma & Ford-Jones, 2015). The impact of childhood poverty continues into adulthood, increasing the risk of many chronic diseases. Perhaps even

Poverty unarguably has direct effects on the way we live our lives, but it likewise affects our mental health. These influences on mental health happen early in life and have long lasting results. In this essay poverty is defined as, “The state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions” (Britannica, 2013). This definition will help frame the poverty that plagues the lives of not just American adult citizens, but also their children. In 2012 23% of children were born in four person families whose income was less than 100% of the national poverty line ($24,008/year) (KIDS COUNT, 2015).Poverty’s side-effects start to influence a person’s life even before they are born, some of these side-effects have

The U.S. is among the richest countries in the world today, yet millions of people in America still live below the poverty level. The number of Americans living in poverty is increasing day by day as well as the number of children. Poverty in America has become a great threat to children’s wellbeing as they are affected emotionally, socially, and even in their school performance (Wood 720). Poverty in America is mainly caused by lack of jobs. Many people who live in poverty in the United States is due to lack of jobs and getting jobs with minimum wage. Another cause of poverty is due to the rise in the cost of living. Poverty exists in America despite the fact that is among the richest nations in the world.

These disproportions can occur by geographical region, gender, socioeconomic status, racial or ethnic background and sexual orientation (Ngui, Khasakala, Ndetei, & Roberts, 2010). All populations suffer from an inadequate system, but the prevalence of unmet mental health needs is especially high among children and youths. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (1999, pg. 124), “In the USA, 1 in 5 children suffers from a mental disorder, with 1 in 10 affected by a serious mental or emotional disorder.” However, less than a quarter of these children receive the care they need. Additionally, across the world, individuals living in poverty are at a higher risk of developing mental disorders compared to others. Poverty can be viewed as both a ‘determinant and a consequence of poor mental health’ (Ngui, Khasakala, Ndetei, & Roberts, 2010). Individuals with mental disorders are more prone to living in poverty, in part due to their inability to properly function and/or obtain and sustain employment. On the other hand, living in poverty has been known to increase the likelihood of developing mental

People living in poverty think about what their next meal is or how they are going to feed their child. Poverty makes a person mentally stress causing them to have depression. The depression then leads to drugs or alcohol which is bringing them down. “Poor black men won't support their families, won't stick by their women -- all they think about is the street, dope and liquor, women, a piece of ass, and their cars. That's all that counts” (). Poverty impacts the individual’s health because they can’t afford the healthy food because it is expensive. The individual will purchase the white bread because it is cheaper but, they know it is not that healthy. People living in poverty might not buy that many fruits and vegetables. Not eating healthy leads to being obese or other health problems. “Poverty and illness together make people much more vulnerable and needy at all stages of their lives, and even more so in old age. Mental health is often both a cause and a consequence of poverty, compromised education, vulnerability, difficulty accessing housing, health-care and employment, and lack of access to welfare, social security, and community public

health of the individual. Some families have to decide if they will get help for the mental condition of their child or if they will pay rent (Joey). In a poem about mental health and poverty, Neil Hilborn speaks about one of his childhood friends, “ We both had parents who believed us when we said we weren 't ok, but mine could afford to do something about it.” A young mother’s daughter struggles with a mental disorder and in order to get her help the mother has to use government money. The problem with this government assistance is that once the recipient of the money gets a job, the money stops being provided (Fessler 3). Studies have shown that, “suicide and mental illness rates are directly related to poverty and unemployment rates” (Poverty). In recent years, 6.6 percent of people below the poverty line have a serious mental illness and the number of those people is increasing (Levine 4). These facts should stir the American people to action against

As poverty spreads, there are carving broader arcs of desperation throughout the country. A rising number of Americans are struggling to make it from one paycheck or unemployment check to the next (Abramsky, 2012). In the United States, families and individuals are classified as being in poverty if their annual money income before taxes and other deductions falls below the official poverty thresholds (Betson, 1977). According to the United States Census Bureau, poverty is based on the number of people in a family, and who share an income less than three times the cost of food for that household. The recent United State recession has pushed the number of poor young children to their highest levels of poverty since 1994. Poverty is more pervasive

Poverty is one of the greatest problems in the United States today. Poverty is the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; a condition of being poor.Many people, especially African Americans and children, live in poverty. People in poverty are left to face different social, cultural, physical and mental challenges.The American Dream is to have a well paying job and to be comfortable, but most Americans are forced to live a life of poverty. Although the United States is one of the richest countries in the world, the rate of poverty and income inequality is still relatively high. Economic Inequality is the reason why poverty is increasing, and equal opportunity is reducing. 1

According to the United States Census Bureau’s 2016 report on Income and Poverty, in 2015 there were 43 million American people living at or below the national poverty threshold (12). For individuals this meant earning an annual salary at or below 12,082 dollars, with families adding on 4,160 dollars for each additional person (43). Poverty can be defined simply as economic deprivation on an individual or a family, however its causes and effects are each respectively far-reaching and complicated. Specifically, the effects of living in poverty can be detrimental to an individual’s physical, mental, and emotional health. Living in poverty can also impact various aspects of a child’s development. Eliminating poverty seems like a lofty goal, but

Homelessness unquestionably affects all areas of people’s lives particularly their mental state and well-being. Adults who are experiencing homelessness have high rates of mental illness, and considerably low rates of mental health service use. It is important to note that homelessness can be the result of a variety of different factors. Poverty does not discriminate, it is a process that has the power to affect vulnerable individuals at different points in their

This paper will explain how poverty and mental illness go hand in hand. Mental illness seems to be a cause and effect situation. Sometimes mental illness causes poverty and other poverty causes the mental illness. This paper will also give possible solutions for the problem.

There is substantial evidence that low-SES children are more likely to manifest symptoms of psychiatric disturbance and maladaptive social functioning than children from more affluent circumstances (Brooks-Gunn & Duncan 1997). Among adolescents, low SES is often associated with poor adaptive functioning, an increased likelihood of depression, and delinquent behavior (McLoyd 1997). The strength of the relationship between poverty and mental disorders varies by type of disorder and race (McLoyd 1997). The relationship is most consistent with schizophrenia and personality disorders, and reasonably consistent with mild depression. Among

Poverty can lead to serious effects. Children who grow up in poverty are likely to have frequent health problems than the children who grow in better financial circumstances. For example, infants who are born into poverty have a low birth weight, and they grow up with mental or physical disabilities. Not only are they sick, but they are most likely to die before their first birthday. Children who are raised in poverty might miss school often because of their illnesses, and they have a much higher accident rate than the other children. Nearly a billion of the world’s population can’t read nor write. Poor families experience stress much more than a normal family does. They are more likely to be exposed to negative events such as illness, job loss, death of a family member, and depression. Homelessness is another effect of poverty. Homeless children are less likely to receive proper nutrition, protection and they experience more health problems. Around 1.4 million children die each year from lack of access to safe and clean water and proper nutrition. Homeless women experience a high rate of low birth weight infants as well as miscarriages. Families who do not have homes receive much more stress than other families. They also have disruption in school, work, friendships, and family relationships. There are other effects of poverty such as drug abuse and addiction, child and woman abuse, debts pressure, and increase in crimes.

The United States is the wealthiest nation in the world, but yet poverty remains prevalent. Childhood poverty affects every aspect of their life. “Poverty is not having income for basic needs, food, medical care or basic needs and housing” (Crosson-Tower, 2014, p. 59). Poverty is affecting thousands of Americans every day, and it isn 't sparing anyone of a particular race, age or gender, leaving people on welfare, and without homes, or transportation. Poverty is a crisis that deserves attention from everyone, and it has many faces that are often not recognized

On any given day, approximately 3 billion people in the world live on less than $2.50 a day, while approximately 1.5 billion people live off less than $1.25 (Do something). Living off such conditions can negatively affect individuals not only physically, but also cognitively, socially, and emotionally. Poverty can also lead to many adverse outcomes such as poor nutrition, low weight, chronic illness, and even death. While studying poverty in America, researchers have outlined the relationship between poverty and health, discovering negative consequences pertaining to mental health, prenatal health, and access to medical treatment.