Health Inequality – Essay Example
Health Inequality – Essay Example
Different population groups and communities” like “differences in mobility between elderly people and younger populations or differences in mortality rates between people from different social classes.” Throughout the world, there are gross inequalities of health between countries and between various groups within the same country. For example, in Japan, the life expectancy is 81.9 years while in Sierra, it is 34 years. In this essay, health inequality in UK, which is a developed country will be explored to ascertain the magnitude of the problem, evaluate the causes for it and study the various interventions undertaken by the government to tackle it.Health Inequality – Essay Example.
Of the health inequalities within the population of UK, the most noticeable is the difference in the life expectancy between the rich and the poor (House of Commons Health Committee or HC, 2009). According to the 2006 statistics, individuals born in Chelsea and Kensington have a life expectancy of 87.8 years while those born in Glasgow city have a life expectancy of only 77.1 years. Despite aggressive measures by the government and effort by the people, health inequalities in UK continue to persist. One of the main reasons for this that while there is improvements in the health status of the poorer population, the richer continue to get better and keep the gap open. The gap is in fact increasing. According to HC (2009), “the gap in men’s life expectancy in the period 2005–07 was 4% wider than the baseline period, while for women, this gap was 11% wider.” Also, “from 2005–07, infant mortality in routine and manual groups was 16% higher than in the population as a whole, compared to 13% in the baseline period.” The HC (2009) has also reported health inequalities in some major causes of mortality like coronary artery disease and stroke. Similar differences have been noted for infant mortality too.
Apart from socio-economic strata, health inequalities have been reported even between various ethnic groups. Health Inequality – Essay Example.
As some people were skeptical about the basis for the ranking, several studies were conducted, this time including “amenable mortality” in the criteria. France was first in the ranking. One good thing about France’s health care system is that everyone has health care. The country is also reported to rely on private and government insurance. Unlike the United States, France lets its citizens to have freedom in choosing hospitals, doctors, and care. Additionally, the health care system does not put much constrain on doctors with regards to making medical decisions. The same situation is evident on German health care system, where everyone has fully portable health insurance which comes with package of benefits. Like France, Germany lets its patients have freedom in choosing doctor and hospital during illness. A survey showed that patients and physicians in Germany are both satisfied with their health care system (Reinhardt, 1994, p.22). Health Inequality – Essay Example. These scenarios are in complete contrast with some of the countries of poor health care system. One of these countries is Nigeria which has been suffering from a stagnant health care system. Its people either have limited access to health care or none at all. Many blame this problem to the prevalence of fake drugs, AIDS epidemic and the unhealthy lifestyles of the people while others point at the lack of health policy as the culprit.
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There are clear differences shown in the relationships between health and differences in class. Health Inequality – Essay Example.
Joy lives in a working class family. She and her family live in poor and unhealthy environment. The family has a poor unsuitable diet consisting mainly of traditional fast foods and the majority…show more content…
None of the family smoke and the family are rarely ill. Jane’s family are in the high margin for survival. Middle class people are viewed upon to be healthy and more likely to be upwardly mobile should they suffer illness. Middle classes rarely visit the doctor due to poor health. This is because of their higher living conditions, good diet and self awareness. The middle class take better care of themselves mentally and physically engaging in better health care, physical exercise, diet and positive mental attitude. Doctors in theory asses’ middle classes and their high standards then use this to interpret good health and longer living statistics.
Social construction analysis claims that illness and health are products of social constructions meaning, society has created these concepts. These concepts categorise men and women separately within illness. Statistics show that women are more likely to suffer illness than men, but social constructionists criticise these statistic and say they should be looked upon with caution. They have good reason for these views being unreliable, because it all amounts in opinion to what is apparent between gender and what is socially accepted. Men will and do suffer as much illness as women but are less likely to visit a doctor. Therefore the statistics are unreliable. It is more acceptable by society for women to seek help. Society pressurises. Health Inequality – Essay Example.
