Influence of Socioeconomic Status and Gender on Health Inequalities

This essay examines the significant influence of socioeconomic status and gender differences on health inequalities. It begins by defining health inequalities as avoidable disparities in health outcomes across different populations, emphasizing the social determinants that contribute to these differenc...Read More

Running Head: SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND GENDER DIFFERENCES INFLUENCE
ON HEALTH INEQUALITIES
Socioeconomic Status and Gender Differences Influence on Health Inequalities
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Socioeconomic Status and Gender Differences Influence on Health Inequalities 2
Health inequalities are the underserved and avoidable differences in the health of people
across their population and also, between precise population sets. Health inequalities are on a
social basis determined by situations that tend to be beyond a person’s control. The variation in
Socioeconomic status and gender difference play a critical role in influencing health inequalities.
Socioeconomic status is the economic and social welfare of a person or family in relation to
other people in society. It is normally based on their household income, levels of education and
their occupations (Gillam, Yates, & Badrinath, 2012).
Gender difference Influences on Health Inequalities
Women tend to have longer life expectancy but poorer health status than men. Certain
health issues are mostly prone to different sexes than the other. Women are more prone to
dementia, depression, and arthritis, while men suffer from lung cancer, cardiovascular disease,
and suicide. Women may take career breaks to raise and care for their children or family
members. Other women may work part-time to achieve their caring duties. As a result, they tend
to have lower socioeconomic status than men and hence they cannot afford better health care
services. A study was done at it showed that Bangladeshi women use more unlicensed medical
practices as compared to men who use licensed health practices. Statistics show that women have
a record of working in low-paying professions which have less benefits such as health insurances
and health screening. This leads to them having low self-esteem making them not able to afford
better healthcare services. Men, on the other hand, have high mortality rates which mostly are a
result of activities like excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking among other life-threatening
activities. Men seek the above activities as a means to cope with the stress they endure at their
workplaces. Increase in unemployment leads to low self-worth which tends to increase the
suicidal rates in young adult men (Annandale & Hunt, 2011).

Socioeconomic Status and Gender Differences Influence on Health Inequalities 3
Socioeconomic status influence on health inequalities
Socioeconomic status is normally classified into three levels the high, middle, and lower
class (Thomas, 2013). Factors such as income, education, and ethnicity heavily contribute to the
development of ailments in people. Low-income levels lead to poor food quality and quantity,
and low consumption of nutritious meals. People with less income opt to buy cheap fast foods in
order to reduce expenditure. This tends to make them fatter and sicker. Inevitably this leads to
increased levels of obesity among other malnutrition diseases (Carr & Descheemaeker, 2008).
People with fewer levels of education earn less income annually. This leads to them finding other
odd jobs in order to improve their living standards. They tend to lack sleep which leads to the
weakening of the immune system. This may cause an individual to suffer from obesity, diabetes
and heart diseases. Low-income families tend to focus on meeting immediate needs as the main
priority and they usually live in environments that are not health friendly. High-income families
live in healthy environments and can satisfy all their needs easily. People with high
socioeconomic status can afford better healthcare services and health insurances while the poor
cannot.
Both gender difference and socioeconomic status variations in different people heavy
influence health inequalities. The poor are unable to afford healthcare insurances among other
better healthcare services. Both women and men suffer a great deal in health care. If they do not
generate enough income accessibility to health facilities becomes a challenge. Health care
systems should improve and offer alternatives to help aid the less fortunate acquire better health
services.

Socioeconomic Status and Gender Differences Influence on Health Inequalities 4
References
Annandale, E., & Hunt, K. (2011). Gender inequalities in health. Buckingham: Open Univ.
Press.
Carr, T., & Descheemaeker, K. (2008). Nutrition and Health. Chichester : John Wiley & Sons.
Gillam, S., Yates, J., & Badrinath, P. (2012). Essential public health : theory and practice.
Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.
Thomas, R. K. (2013). Society and health : sociology for health professionals. New York:
Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.