What Might the Socio Economic Status or Gender or Ethnicity (the Social Determinants of Health) ‘Experience ‘of Health and Illness, Focus Particularly on Those of Older People?
Within this essay the main point of focus will be based on the socio economic status (SES) and the determinants of health of the elderly within society. It will explore how SES can affect health and lead to the elderly to living with health problems on a daily basis Social status has a big contribution towards the way the elderly live in a particular class. SES is where an individual’s position is within a hierarchical and their social structure is taken into account. Socio economic status depends on a variety of things, including occupation, education, income, wealth, and where the individual resides or takes up residency (Browne, 2008). It will also consider lifestyle factors, and the fundamental issue that underlies the causes of socioeconomic status (Browne, 2008).
Social determinants of health may mean a variety of things to different people, and can arise due to inequalities and conditions of people’s daily life style. There are many factors which may play a part in this (Graham, 2009). Health inequalities are known to be increased with the persistence of poverty (Browne, 2008). This has been one of the biggest problems in the UK for the government over the past 50years. Poverty can be very hard to define but there are many explanations of poverty which include absolute and relative. Absolute poverty which was strengthened with a study conducted by Rowntree 1890 (Cited in Browne, 2008) can be defined by a person who lacks the minimum necessary for a healthy survival. People who do live in absolute poverty will be poor no matter what they do, this will have an impact on the elderly individual later on in life (Browne, 2008).Relative poverty goes on to be defined by Peter Townsend 1979 (cited in Browne, 2008) as people that are poverty stricken lack things that society assumes as a necessary to maintain a standard of living that is socially acceptable. (Browne, 2008) Research and statistics show there are masses of health inequalities within the UK.
Social determinants of health may mean a variety of things to different people, and can arise due to inequalities and conditions of people’s daily life style. There are many factors which may play a part in this (Graham, 2009). Health inequalities are known to be increased with the persistence of poverty (Browne, 2008). This has been one of the biggest problems in the UK for the government over the past 50years. Poverty can be very hard to define but there are many explanations of poverty which include absolute and relative. Absolute poverty which was strengthened with a study conducted by Rowntree 1890 (Cited in Browne, 2008) can be defined by a person who lacks the minimum necessary for a healthy survival. People who do live in absolute poverty will be poor no matter what they do, this will have an impact on the elderly individual later on in life (Browne, 2008).Relative poverty goes on to be defined by Peter Townsend 1979 (cited in Browne, 2008) as people that are poverty stricken lack things that society assumes as a necessary to maintain a standard of living that is socially acceptable. (Browne, 2008) Research and statistics show there are masses of health inequalities within the UK.
Cited: The inverse care law Tudor Hart (cited in Browne, 2008) went on to identify that people who needed care the most were the poor which of what was never given (Browne, 2008). Graham, H. (2009). Understanding health inequalities, 2nd edition. Open university press. Berkshire Mason, T & Whitehead, E Morrison, V. Bennett, P. (2009). An introduction to health psychology. 2nd edition. Pearson education limited. Essex. Newbold, C. Peace, M. Swain, L. Wright, M. (2008). AQA Sociology. Nelson Thornes Ltd.