Analyzing Economic Inequality and its Effects on Public Health

This assignment examines the significant impact of economic inequality on health outcomes, emphasizing how disparities in income and socioeconomic status affect access to healthcare and overall well-being. It highlights that individuals with higher incomes and assets have better access to healthcare resources, while those with lower incomes face barriers, leading to poorer health. The essay references studies and surveys, including data from Australia's National Health Survey, to demonstrate the link between socioeconomic status and health problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and higher mortality rates. It discusses factors such as living conditions, behavioral factors, and nutritional habits, as well as the role of mental health issues caused by environmental stressors, to illustrate how economic inequality contributes to health disparities. The assignment concludes by emphasizing the need for public support to redistribute income and address both poverty and inequality to achieve better health outcomes globally.

Running head: ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
Question-4: Is economic inequality a threat to good health?
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
Economic inequality is a phase of economy, where the revenue is not evenly distributed
among the population. The person who is having more income and assets, they will have the
more access to the healthcare resources and opportunities for taking care of ill health. On the
other hand the people having less income have less access to the healthcare resources. There are
some believable evidences which show that the poor economic condition would gradually lead to
poverty, which results in people suffering from bad health conditions (Reuss& Kills, 2007,
p.386). It is now widely accepted that income inequality is the biggest threats that today’s world
is facing. In addition to the increase in joblessness and poverty, income equality has become a
biggest concern of the society (Leeder, 2003, p. 478). In this assignment, the effects of economic
inequality in achieving better health outcomes have been discussed.
Across the world, wealth equals good health. People with more money and assets can
access rich resources and opportunities to attain good health. However, poor community having
less economic resources cannot go beyond their barriers to attain those opportunities and suffer
from illness (Hosseinpoor, Itani& Peterson, 2012, p.279). According to the national health
survey of Australia, the lower the Socio-economic Status one person has, higher the chance he
will be having health related issues (abs.gov.au, 2017).Socio Economic Status (SES) is also
linked to a wide range of health problems like cardio vascular disease, arthritis, low birth-weight,
cancer and diabetes irrespective of income, occupation and education (Leeder, 2003, p. 476).
Lower SES is associated with high mortality rate. Hence, the role of sociology in exploring
social issues and social world of patients, health care workers is very crucial.
According to some recent national and global economic trends, it is very likely that this
matter of income inequality and its adverse effects on population health will remain to be
applicable for social epidemiology. The main factors affecting inequality in health are difference

2ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
in living, behavioral factor, and different working conditions. Nutritional habits, obesity,
physical conditions, smoking and alcoholic habits are risk factors for diseases like diabetes
cancers, and different cardiovascular disorders (Reuss& Kills, 2007, p.386). Higher bank balance
can let people live in a neighborhood which promotes healthy lifestyle compared to low wealthy
people who cannot access those benefits and live in a risky condition. Low-income people are
exposed to different unhealthy environments and stressors hence experience mental health issues.
money provides access to various resources to meet basic needs of human, effecting life directly
like food-nutrition, quality living and healthcare (Vásquez, paraje&Estay, 2013, p.102).
Finally, it can be stated that inequality based on wealth or income effects health of
patients widely. It is not possible for person with less income to avail the service of private
hospitals with best quality of healthcare, in spite of the fact that he needs those healthcare
treatments on priority. Therefore, to redistribute income and capital to confront both poverty and
inequality, public support is important. Socio- Economic status is another factor leading to such
discrepancies as people with low SES cannot avail quality treatment from professionals leading
to higher mortality rates. Due to different life style, people with low SES suffer from mental
health issues as they gets exposed to pollutants and stressors more frequently than those with
higher SES. Therefore, economic inequality is hampering health-achieving goals across the
globe.

3ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
Reference
abs.gov.au. (2017). 4364.0.55.001 - National Health Survey: First Results, 2014-15. Abs.gov.au.
Retrieved 15 September 2017, from
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4364.0.55.0012014-15?
OpenDocument
Hosseinpoor, A. R., Itani, L., & Petersen, P. E. (2012). Socio-economic inequality in oral
healthcare coverage: results from the World Health Survey. Journal of dental
research, vol.91issue(3), p.275-281.
Leeder, S. R. (2003). Achieving equity in the Australian healthcare system. Medical Journal of
Australia, vol.179issue(9), p.475-479.
Reuss, A., & Kills, I. (2007). Cause of death: Inequality. Race, Class, and Gender in the United
States, p.386.
Vásquez, F., Paraje, G., & Estay, M. (2013). Income-related inequality in health and health care
utilization in Chile, 2000-2009. RevistaPanamericana de SaludPública, vol.33issue(2),
p.98-106.