Health and Wealth: An Essay on Financial Status and Well-being

This essay delves into the multifaceted relationship between health and wealth, drawing on personal observations and research studies to illustrate the profound impact of financial status on overall well-being. The author begins with a poignant anecdote, highlighting the disparity in healthcare access and outcomes based on socioeconomic standing. The essay then examines several sources, including articles and studies, to support the argument that financial stress, access to healthcare, and lifestyle choices are intricately linked to health outcomes. The essay explores the impacts of financial stress, socioeconomic status, and access to quality healthcare. The author also acknowledges the limitations of wealth as the sole determinant of health, considering lifestyle factors and other influences. It concludes by emphasizing the significance of financial stability as a key determinant of health, while acknowledging the importance of lifestyle choices. The essay provides a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between financial status and health outcomes.

Running head: HEALTH AND WEALTH
HEALTH AND WEALTH
Name of Student:
Name of University:
Author’s Note:

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Introduction
In the course of life, I have been to a situation where I have seen a wealthy person
desperately crying for his dying wife. I was in the hospital for my regular checkup with my
mother. I went to a cardiology department as my mother has hypertension, where I have come
across a miserable situation. I saw a man who was in colossal tension and busy in conversing
with the high level doctor regarding his wife, who was suffering from last stage cardiovascular
blockage. However, the doctor said that it is the last time as her body is not responding to any
medication. The man was a millionaire and was continuously yelling that “do not worry about
the money do whatever you can I can spend large sum of money, just save my wife life”. The
groups of the doctor were helpless, and with money, they arranged heart transplantation and
saved the life of his wife. That was the day where I came to know the truth of life that money
also have influencing power in health. Thus, it can be wisely said that “financial status can lead
to better health". Therefore, the principal aim of the essay is to explain the connection between
health and Wealth by considering three different studies based on it.
Source- Purnell, J. (2018). What It's Worth: Strong Financial Future. Retrieved from
http://www.strongfinancialfuture.org/essays/financial-health-is-public-health/
Quote 1: “If you want to lower my blood pressure, help me pay my electricity bill.”
From the review of the article, the quotation was found, which was said by said by the
resident of Rochester. The quotation reflects the facts that Wealth has a crucial connection
between Wealth and health. The monetary stress is directly related to the health of the individual.
People with low income have to bear their all expenses in a limited amount, which lead to

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financial stress. Due to which they start to smoke and drink and consequently, it leads to a
chronic health issue (Dumitrache, Rubio & Rubio-Herrera, 2017).
Source- Clay, R. (2017). Wealth secures health. Retrieved from
https://www.apa.org/monitor/oct01/wealthhealth
Quote1: “As you move up the socioeconomic status hierarchy, your health prospects continue
to improve,"
Quote 2: “The lower your socioeconomic status, the greater your risk of both physical and
psychological health problems."
From the article, the quote was extracted, which was quantified by psychologist Norman
B. Anderson. The quote illustrates that people with higher socioeconomic status who are
financially stable have good and improve health. People with high income have assessed better
health service and are competent for any costly treatment. High socio-economic people are
highly educated, and they have good knowledge about the health's risk and complication and are
able to manage it effectively (Beckfield et al., 2015). People with low economic status tend to
live in an unhealthy environment, have a poor diet and have unhealthy living habits which create
the house of deadly disease and poor health.
Source- Sternberg, S. (2018). Health and Wealth is being rich the only road to wellbeing.
Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/2018-05-02/
health-and-wealth-is-being-rich-the-only-road-to-well-being
Quote 1: "There was a powerful relationship between average household income and health
outcomes and behaviours,"

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The quotation can be explained with the help of example which was highlighted in 2015
report of Virginia Commonwealth university centre where middle-class American people
healthier than the low-income people and rich people are the healthiest among all.
Quote 2: "An economic shock like a major health event can really devastate you financially."
The statement from the article depicts that if people suffer from any chronic disease
whose treatment incur huge investment can lead to an enormous financial burden to a middle and
low-class people. It can even make them overdue. However, people with high financial status are
able to bear the cost, and any health issue does not pose any financial burden. Therefore, it can
be said that people with good income have good health.
My core values regarding the health and Wealth tells that the financial status of people is
not only the factor for good health; it is one of the most important factors which leads to good
health. For any kind of treatments, monetary investment is needed. Without money, we cannot
purchase any medicine, nor can we undergo any sort of test and diagnosis. However, more core
values also say that it is not essential that people with high socioeconomic status have good
health. They can also have an unhealthy lifestyle like an inclination towards smoking, drinking
and unhealthy diet which include junks foods and high sugary drinks which often lead to several
health issues (Jerdén et al., 2018). Therefore I can say that my core value influences my
perspective and regards financial status as one of the significant factors for good health.
Lastly, from the above discussion, it can be said that the financial status of people does
have influencing power for better health of people. People with high economic status are
financially strong, educated and have access to health services. Such people have good health,
and they are able to take good health services. They live in a healthy environment and make a

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good understanding of the effect of the treatment given. Hence, they have good health. In another
term, people who have a lethal disease which requires huge treatment investment can pose a
great financial burden to low and middle economic status people. However, high-income people
can easily bear the cost and tends to have good health. But, peoples who have high economic
status are also engaged with unhealthy habits like drinking and smoking and are ignorance
towards good health, so what are the effects of such habits in their health?

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Reference
Beckfield, J., Bambra, C., Eikemo, T. A., Huijts, T., McNamara, C., & Wendt, C. (2015). An
institutional theory of welfare state effects on the distribution of population health. Social
Theory & Health, 13(3-4), 227-244.
Clay, R. (2017). Wealth secures health. Retrieved from
https://www.apa.org/monitor/oct01/wealthhealth
Dumitrache, C. G., Rubio, L., & Rubio-Herrera, R. (2017). Perceived health status and life
satisfaction in old age, and the moderating role of social support. Aging & Mental
Health, 21(7), 751-757.
Jerdén, L., Dalton, J., Johansson, H., Sorensen, J., Jenkins, P., & Weinehall, L. (2018). Lifestyle
counseling in primary care in the United States and Sweden: a comparison of patients’
expectations and experiences. Global health action, 11(1), 1438238.
Purnell, J. (2018). What It's Worth: Strong Financial Future. Retrieved from
http://www.strongfinancialfuture.org/essays/financial-health-is-public-health/
Sternberg, S. (2018). Health and Wealth is being rich the only road to wellbeing. Retrieved from
https://www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/2018-05-02/health-and-
wealth-is-being-rich-the-only-road-to-well-being