Socio-economic status: An independent risk factor

Type :

Term papers

Pages :

12 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

06/05/2009

Category :

Political science

Sub category :

Social sciences

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Summary :

Summary
Introduction
Individual measures of socioeconomic status
Education and profession
Revenue
Supra-individual measures of socioeconomic status
Several studies have shown the existence
Surveillance of risk factors according to socioeconomic levels
Economic growth
The reduction of disparities in regional competitiveness factors
Added value and impact of regional policy
Impact of other community policies
Impact of national policies
Related acts
Conclusion
References

Abstract

Social inequality on health is well known. The measure of socioeconomic status remains difficult because it is a multidimensional concept that requires the use of multiple indicators. The indicators used to measure social status are education, occupation and income. They each have their limitations that need to be acknowledged in order to interpret the nature of inequality. In addition, they must be evaluated in context. Several examples of social inequality faced with exposure to risk factors for health are given in this document. To reduce and prevent health inequalities, it is important to have systems for monitoring the evolution of risk factors. These systems can quickly identify the growing inequalities and to identify the groups most affected.socio-economic status determines significant inequalities in health in the population. These inequalities are often obvious, especially in clinical practice. However, define and measure these inequalities is not always simple. Socioeconomic status can be defined from access to power, prestige, wealth, etc. It is a multidimensional concept to be described from multiple indicators. It can also be assessed at different levels. The individual measures the behavioral characteristics and history of the individual. The measure may also be supra-individual, and in this case, consider the context in which health problems occur.Pearce has shown, using the example of mortality from asthma, it is not always possible to separate the proximal risk factors or a biological disease, its social determinants. Epidemic deaths asthma, a beta-agonist, has been particularly severe among the indigenous communities of New Zealand Maori. This high rate was due not to a genetic susceptibility, but the difficulties of access to health services for Maori who grew to rely excessively on the use of beta-agonists in cases of severe asthma attacks. This example shows that it would be easy to attribute to a genetic susceptibility or of biological origin of health states that are in fact determined by the socio-economic status. The same is true if only one measure of socioeconomic status such as education or profession, which alone can not reflect the complexity of socio-economic determinants that affect health. In other words, we can not conclude on the basis of a single index, that differences in health between different ethnic groups are due to a biological factor although it was considered statistically controlled factor socio-economic status.