The Ways Socio-economic Class Impacts Health: ASS072-1 Essay

This essay delves into the significant impact of socio-economic class and social situations on an individual's health, primarily within the context of the UK. It explores how factors like income, education, occupation, and social networks influence access to healthcare, health outcomes, and overall well-being. The essay highlights health disparities, emphasizing that individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds often face poorer health outcomes due to limited access to resources, including nutritious food, healthcare services, and health education. It discusses the social determinants of health, such as housing conditions and occupational risks, and their contribution to these inequalities. The essay also touches on the concept of social class and its implications for health, family life, education, and interactions with the criminal justice system. It concludes by emphasizing the need for a more equitable healthcare system that addresses the impact of socio-economic factors to ensure fair and better health outcomes for all individuals.

Introduction to Health
and Social Care

Table of Contents
Topic: The ways in which a person’s socio-economic class and his/her social situation can have
an impact of his/her health...............................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Main body........................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

Topic: The ways in which a person’s socio-economic class and his/her social
situation can have an impact of his/her health
INTRODUCTION
A person's social classification has a significant impact on their physical health, their
potential to receive enough medical care and nutrition, and their lifestyles expectancy. It has
been analysed that the person with lower income and social backward are mainly unable to use
healthcare as often as people of greater status and when they do, it is regularly of decrease
quality (Coughlan and Cronin, 2020). The current essay writing is based on analysing the ways
in which actually the social and economic class of an individuals would have lead to impact on
their health.
Main body
A person’s social type and economic status has a good sized affect on their bodily and
physical form of health along with their mental capability which also depends on the way a
person is used to receive enough scientific care and nutrition, and their life expectancy. While
gender and race play considerable roles in explaining healthcare inequality in the United
Kingdom, socioeconomic fame (SES) is one of the biggest social determinant which have impact
on an individual’s health outcome. Social determinants of fitness are basically comprising of the
economic and social stipulations that influence and lead significant impact on the man or woman
and team variations in health status (Parker and et. al., 2020). Social determinants are mainly
consists of the environmental factors and the meaning that they are chance elements which are
mainly determined in one’s dwelling and working conditions which mainly comprises of the
form of distribution of income, wealth, influence, and power taken as an alternative to the person
factors like behavioural hazard elements or genetics (Health and Social Class, 2020). Thus, a
summarisation can be made out that the person’s socio-economic class and his/her social
situation have an impact on his/her health as it has been seen in the society of UK that the person
with higher income are more conservative and aware about their health and put more emphasis
on there in-take and regular exercise to remain fit and healthy. On contrary, it has been analysed
that the individuals with lower income and socially backwards people are not much aware about
their health and wellbeing (Guzys and et. al., 2020).
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Apart from this, it has been also seen that the Social determinants can also be used to predict
one’s chance of contracting a disease or sustaining an injury which also seems to point out how
inclined one is to the consequences of a disease or injury. It has been seen in the community of
UK that some one who belongs to higher social background is more protective and keep safe
from contracting any diseases or sustaining any injury as they are more inclined and easily get
aid and reach to hospitals and medical care. On the other hand, it has been observed that the
individuals of with a lower socioeconomic popularity tend to have a decrease ranges of universal
health as they have much less insurance plan coverage as well as they prone to get less admission
to the ample and better quality healthcare than those of higher social economic status
(Cunningham, Taylor and Murphy, 2020).
Further, it has been analysed that in UK the social economic class is basically divided
into three broad categories which consists of lower class, middle class and upper class along with
working class (What is the British class system?, 2021). This classification of socio economic
class is mainly based on the influenced by factors of wealth, occupation, and education. In the
society of the United Kingdom, it has been identified that the person’s social class has far-
reaching consequences and impact on their social health. The team social economic class mainly
refers to the way in which grouping of the individuals is made in a stratified hierarchy that is
mainly based on the wealth, income, education, occupation, and social network of an individual
along with some other factors and situation that are also sometimes considered. It has been also
seen that the one’s position in the social and economic class of the hierarchy may also lead a
significant impact on their health, family life, education, religious affiliation, political
participation, and experience with the criminal justice system as the socio economic class
directly impact the thinking and regular habits of an individual which have significant impact on
the ones health along with physical and mental ability (Croft and Currie, 2020).
Beside this, the socio-economic class in taken as a controversial issue in the United
Kingdom as many inequality and discrimination is prevailed in its society and health care system
based on the socio economic status of a person. Efforts are made to fill theses gaps with social
scientists disagreeing over models, definitions, and even the basic question of whether or not
distinct classes exist to ensure a more fair and better heath care and medical treatment for all
person. Many British people believe in a simple three-class model that includes the rich or upper
class, the middle class, and the poor or working class (Forsyth and et. al., 2020). The analysis
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can be made out that the vital impact is lead out by the person’s socio-economic class and his/her
social situation on his/her health as it has been observed that the social and economic condition
of an individual is directly associated and related with the level and kind of opportunities and
health care resources availed and used by an individuals thus, leads to direct impact on their
health (Kinsella and et. al., 2020). The socioeconomic status and situation of an individual
mainly refers and presents the social position of an individual in the social hierarchy which is
mainly based on the their income level, estimated wealth along with their occupational prestige
and also comprises of educational attainment of an individuals. The ways in which socio
economic condition and situation of an individual leads impact on its health can be evaluated
from the fact that a rich person with high education and elite job profile tend to have a much
more awareness about the its health situation and also prefers to take all possible precaution and
needed steps to prevent and safeguard them self form hazardous health issues and illness. Beside
this, a working class people not have much awareness about on going medical situation and
health care plans to safeguard and protect them from harmful disease (Martins and et. al., 2020).
Thus, an implication can be made out that person with high social and economic status tend to
have better health as compared to a person who belongs to lower class of society.
Beside this, it has been also seen that the people who belongs to upper class of society
have elite social network and access to powerful position thus, get a better and early medical care
and help thus they are likely to have the better health, educational, and professional outcomes.
Further, the person who is facing some financial crises or any other adverse situation may face
the issue of lack of nutrition and sleep in their regular routine which makes them more prone to
medical issues due to factors and ways comprises of mal nutrition and other adversity and lack of
resources in their life. Apart from this, the ways in which the socio economic condition lead an
impact on a person health can be analysed from the fact that many researcher and medical expert
blames poverty and poor housing conditions of a person which lead to lack in health resources
and education which makes them more prone to illness and sickness. Beside this, it has been also
analysed and observed that the poor and working class of the society of UK is tend to have a
higher risk occupation which causes and leads to poor health for a person belongs to lower social
class of society of UK (Benison, 2020). Further, it has been also observed that the social
economic class and poor situation of a lower class individuals makes them to adopt a less healthy
life and also lead to eat more fatty food along with habits like smoking and drinking that is
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hazardous for their health. It has been observed that poor class individuals have relatively less
amount of money to spend on healthy diet along with are also not able to have regular medical
check or to get any medical assistance thus, there backwards social economic class tend to have a
negative impact on their health conditions (Schneider, 2020).
CONCLUSION
On the basis of above essay, a conclusion can be made that the person’s socio-economic
class have a direct impact on the health of an individual as the socio economic factors comprises
of the income level, education level, position in society and many other factors that have a direct
influence in the mental and physical condition of an individual. It has been summarised on the
basis of above essay that an individual who belongs to lower socio economic class does not have
much wealth and income to spend on health care services or to buy healthy and nutritious food
thus, they are more prone to illness and health issues. On the other side, person who belongs to
elite class have more awareness and education towards and health and also have better access to
medical care and other health services which leads to have a positive impact on their health.
Further, unhealthy eating habits along with situation of smoking and drinking are also seen in
lower class person which are the main ways that lead negative impact on health of poor and
lower socio economic class.
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REFERENCES
Books and journal
Coughlan, M. and Cronin, P., 2020. Doing a literature review in nursing, health and social care.
Parker, G. and et. al., 2020. Using a systematic review to uncover theory and outcomes for a
complex intervention in health and social care: a worked example using life story work
for people with dementia. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy,
p.1355819619897091.
Cunningham, S., Taylor, B.J. and Murphy, A., 2020. Standards in Regulating Quality of Adult
Community Health and Social Care: Systematic Narrative Review. Journal of Evidence-
Based Social Work, pp.1-12.
Croft, C. and Currie, G., 2020. Realizing policy aspirations of voluntary sector involvement in
integrated care provision: Insights from the English National Health Service. Health
Policy.
Forsyth, K. and et. al., 2020. Audit of fidelity of implementation of the Older prisoner Health and
Social Care Assessment and Plan (OHSCAP). The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry &
Psychology, 31(1), pp.90-105.
Martins, A.I. and et. al., 2020, May. Comparing Paper Versus Digital Registries When
Introducing a Web-Based Platform Registration for Social Care Services. In International
Conference on Integrated Science (pp. 327-336). Springer, Cham.
Benison, L., 2020. Raising the bar against discrimination in social care. Nursing And Residential
Care, 22(1), pp.12-17.
Schneider, M.J., 2020. Introduction to public health. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Kinsella, E.A. and et. al., 2020. Mindfulness in allied health and social care professional
education: a scoping review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 42(2), pp.283-295.
Guzys, D. and et. al., 2020. An introduction to community and primary health care. Cambridge
University Press.
Online:
Health and Social Class. 2020. [Online] Available Through:< https://patient.info/doctor/health-
and-social-class >.
What is the British class system?. 2021. [Online] Available Through:<
https://greatbritishmag.co.uk/uk-culture/what-is-the-british-class-system/ >.
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