Sociology: The Crucial Link Between Social Class and Health

The purpose of one of the sociology essays on social class is to explore social class and the relationship and impact it has on health. Social class refers to divisions in society based on economic and social status. People in the same social class typically share a similar level of wealth, educational achievement, job, and income. Social class relates to health as it is a predisposing factor that correlates to people's experiences and beliefs regarding health via diet, housing, jobs, and their working conditions.

The link between social class and health has been highlighted and illustrated many times before with research being conducted to further shed light on this issue. A key study that was carried out to help emphasise this link was the marmot review in 2010. The marmot review investigated the link between one's socioeconomic status (SES) to their health. SES is a measure of an individual or family's economic and social position in relation to others, based on income, education, and occupation. The review found that the relationship between SES and health could be illustrated using a social gradient of health inequalities. Health inequalities are the preventable, unfair, and unjust differences in health status between groups, populations, or individuals that arise from the unequal distribution of social, environmental, and economic conditions within societies, which determine the risk of people getting ill, their ability to prevent sickness, or opportunities to act and access treatment when ill health occurs.

Another study investigated the relationship between jobs and their effect on people's health. They encountered scenarios where exposures at work were seen to 'get under the skin' ranging from inhalation of dust or physical contact with toxins to changes in hormone levels in the body. Research has also been conducted to investigate the direct link between a person's SES status and their health. There is evidence to suggest that socioeconomic status (SES) affects an individual's health outcomes and the health care they receive. People of lower SES are more likely to have worse self-reported health and a lower life expectancy.

In addition to the research cited earlier, there have also been other significant research that has taken place such as the black report. The purpose of the black report was to investigate the inequalities that occurred in health. The report found that ill-health and death are unequally distributed among the population of Britain and suggested that these inequalities have been widening rather than diminishing. The group found that there were differences in mortality rates across the social groups, with those in lower social groups suffering higher rates of mortality. The report also found inequalities in access to health services, particularly preventative services, with low rates of uptake by the working classes. It also attributed these failings to social inequalities influencing health: income, education, housing, diet, employment, conditions of work, and not to the NHS.

Considering the evidence presented to have full comprehension you also need to have knowledge of structural theory as it plays a key role in being able to interpret the evidence and understand perspectives. Structural theories emphasise the power of society over the individual and believe that the individual is largely controlled by society. Society exists within an individual via a set of norms and values, which are garnered through socialisation, and acts as a form of social control. Marxism is an example of structural theory, as people's actions are shaped by society and in particular the economic system. Marxism's perspective is that the state functions to serve the long-term interests of the bourgeois. The link between social class and health can be further understood when considering a person's socioeconomic status (SES). SES is the social standing or class of an individual or group. It is often measured as a combination of education, income, and occupation. This relates to health as the people nearer the lower end of the SES gradient tend to suffer more from health issues.

In relation to the evidence presented earlier, the marmot review was seen as a key contributor to the discussion regarding the inequalities of health and in particular the impact of your SES on your health. The report found that people living in the poorest neighbourhoods in will on average die seven years earlier than people living in the richest neighbourhoods People living in poorer areas not only die sooner but spend more of their lives with disabilities - an average total difference of 17 years. These findings can be understood when considering a person's SES which includes housing, income, education, social isolation.

Regarding inequalities in health which are the preventable, unfair, and unjust differences in health status between groups, populations, or individuals that arise from the unequal distribution of resources and environmental conditions. Not only is there a strong social justice case for addressing health inequalities, but there is also a pressing economic case. It is estimated that the annual cost of health inequalities is between £36 billion to £40 billion through lost taxes, welfare payments and costs to the NHS Inequalities in health include the adverse effects on aspects such as life expectancy, infant mortality, cancer, and chronic disease outcomes. Health inequalities also affect the rate of morbidity which is the rate at which a disease occurs in a population. These illnesses can range from acute to chronic, long-lasting conditions. This rate can be used to determine the health of a population and their health care needs. Low SES should be targeted alongside conventional health risk factors as part of national and global health strategies to help reduce early death and increase life expectancy.

This 18-year period (1977-1995) has seen an increase in income inequality: 24% of the population had an income below half the average after housing costs in 1995-96 compared with 7% in 1977. Families with children have been hardest hit: 31% of children live in households with less than half the average income after housing costs. Inequalities in health can be minimised and mitigated if policies and actions were to take place such as increasing child benefit, improving housing, and agreeing to develop working conditions with unions.

In conclusion, I believe the link between social class and health is an important relationship that inversely affects one another. This can be depicted in the social gradient which shows the lower someone is on that gradient the greater it will adversely affect their health while the higher on the gradient the lesser effect it will have. The implications of this as discussed earlier include groups of people with a lower socioeconomic status having the increased possibility of a reduced life expectancy, infant mortality, cancer, and morbidity.