Question

Describe three ways in which lower socioeconomic status can lead to worse health outcomes.

Answer 1

• People belonging to lower SES face a number health care issues by not having access to good healthcare facilities due to lack of finances.Lower SES people tend to live in areas which are unclean,as they cannot afford living posh areas, and have high rates of air and land pollution which affects their health adversely.Most of them work as underpaid factory labourers,who live near factories.
• Mostly such areas are near industries.where chemicals fumes are present in the air,effecting the people living their.Constant exposure to,zinc,lead and other dangerous pollutants coming from fcatories leads to higher risk of lung diseases,heart diseases etc.
• They have low access to fresh food,lack of exercise facilities and access to preventive health programs which leads to affecting their health adversely.They also dont have health care insurance to provide them with medical benefits when ill.
• Poverty also affects people psychologically as well,leading to higher rates of depression in them and not having enough knowledge about mental health care.Lack of education,and finances leads to poor mental health in lower SES people.They tend to ignore these problems or just suffer silently in it.
• Poorer neighbourhoods have less grocery stores,so access to fresh food is less,there are more fast food chains which leads to nutritional problems and increasing risk of heart diseases and obesity in them.Fresh food is expensive which cannot be afforded by such people,thereby risking their health.
• Also living in such neighbourhoods there is poor access to any recreational facilities and higher crime rates,which also decreases the feasibility do to routine physical exercise.And even if there are facilities available,people cannot afford the fees.