Impact of Social Economic Class and Social Situation on a Person’s Health (GC01841)

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction.

2.0 Impact of social-economic class and social situation on a person’s health.

2.1 Impact of social-economic class on a person’s health.

2.2 Impact of social-economic class and social situation on a person’s health.

3.0 Conclusion.

Reference.

1.0 Introduction

Social-economic class means people having the same class, society, and economic status. Social situation refers to how a person’s associative circumstances are. Everyone has a particular social-economic class and economic situation. According to Evan (2019), it is a measure of the social position of an individual family. Mainly, a class is divided by people based on their financial position. Different socioeconomic classes have different priorities in society. The higher-class people always have a higher reputation and power than the majority of people. At the same time, the lower people do not get much attention in society.

This impacts a lot on a person’s health. This is a problem which has been happening for a hundred years. Like many other countries, this problem is quite common in the UK. The country systematically judges and looks down on people for their class and social situations. Due to this, people are suffering from many health issues. John stated that this problem puts a grave impact on their mental and physical health. To a number of people, class and social situation is more important than living a content, normal life. In the UK, there is a string of underlying histories behind it. A certain middle class or lower-class family struggles comparatively more in getting proper healthcare. The lifestyle they lead and the choices they make also determine their health to a large extent.

2.0 Impact social-economic class and social situation on a person’s health

2.1 Impact social-economic class on a person’s health

In the UK, social-economic class and social situations have a great repercussion on a person’s health. There has been a lot of history behind it as well. Change in health and well-being of people across the UK are impacted by social-economic differences which are pointed towards occupation, income or ‘social classes. According to Marmot (2018), the link between a low income and poor health, a determined interrelation between health and profession, with the uncertainty of poorly conferred work harm one’s health and well-being. In the mid-Victorian era, Friedrich Engels acknowledged the link between occupation and health. He statistically showed that the number of child deaths was far higher in the lower class than in any other. Such history has not been ever removed, rather repeated.

A person’s social class has a great impact on their physical health. If a person’s financial ability is subpar, they do not get to receive adequate medical care and nutrition. Many are suffering from many unattended diseases for this inequality. It must be considered that when health is referred, it does not only mean physical health. Mathew (2017) stated that being mentally sound can lead to a healthier and happier life. But for the socio-economic class inequality, people get mental pressures and layers of sabotaging thoughts. Usually, society treats lower-class people like they are nothing. They get neglected from any social activities. On top of that, their inability to achieve certain material things may make him feel down. It impacts their mental health, but sadly they cannot afford to treat their illnesses. People around them do not understand the gravity of their problems.

Coming to social-economic class, it has many sectors. Different sectors have different definitions. Bartley (2018) stated that British people are affected by their long history that goes centuries back, a history that is influenced by the concept of social-economic. Besides, definitions of social class in the United Kingdom vary and agitate; however, most of them are influenced by health, wealth, and education. According to Annandale (2018), British society has had a significant change following World War 2, including higher education, manners etc. It also changed the role of females in work and helped grow a more individualistic culture.  Many researchers have said that social status is influenced by separate forms of social classes in the UK.

According to Manstead (2018), there are almost 7 social classes in the United Kingdom. These classes identify a person’s social situation. The classes are described below:

Elite Class: Elite class means the members of high social capital, high economic capital, high cultural capital, etc. The elite members’ occupations are executive officers, marketing and sales directors, solicitors, barristers and judges, financial managers, IT and telecommunication directors, higher education teachers, etc. In the United Kingdom, 6% of people are in these elite class members (Kim, 2018). Even if their number is small, they usually have most of the facilities when it comes to a healthy lifestyle and healthcare. They can tend to every minute health problem that occurs, and treat it with eligible medical facilities. Naturally, the impact of their social class on their health is magnificent. Children in these families grow up to have a great immune system, usually. However, they often consume unhealthy food without any time gaps as they can attend to their needs at any time. Due to this, they suffer from heart problems, obesity, body image issues and in some cases depression and anxiety.

The Middle Class: Established middle-class family is also nearby elite class members. They are highly reputed because they are established. 25% of people in the UK are in this class. According to Kim (2018), the established middle-class occupations are engineers, social workers, environmental professionals, town planning officials, occupational therapists etc. On the other hand, the technical middle-class members are a lower stage of the established middle class. 6% of people in the UK are in this category. The technical middle-class occupations are medical natural and social science professionals, administrative, business, research positions, physical scientists, etc (Wills, 2018). The middle-class family members have the ability to treat themselves in most cases. However, when they have a serious illness that requires expensive treatment, they struggle immensely. Mental health is often a taboo in middle-class families. The rich people have money and the poor ones often have donations and financial aid. Meanwhile, the middle-class members struggle as they have other priorities to meet and health is ignored.

Working Class: Traditional working-class people are relatively poor in their capital but they have some good assets, few social contacts.  They might have a good economic capital, but comparatively a poor status and social contacts. In British society, this class has 29% of people. Their class occupations are electricians and electric fitters, retail cashiers and checkout operatives, plumbers, heating technicians, kitchen and catering assistance sales and retail assistance, drivers etc. In this sector, people’s lives are quite hard and risky. They take part in heavy works for their living. For instance, a car driver or plumber or construction worker might have an accident, fatal injuries and such others that they are not able to treat in a medical environment. Workers that constantly do physical labor in hostile and dangerous environments may have long-term health problems.

Lower Class: Lower Class people have lower economic situations and the lowest category in every situation. 15% of the British people are in this class. The premarital occupations are farmers, fishermen, carpenters, joiners, caretakers, leisure and travel service occupations, shop-keepers, sellers etc. Their lives are full of crisis and unhappiness. They barely get any kind of treatment because of their financial status, unless somebody else bears their medical expenses. They suffer from many dangerous diseases because they live in unhygienic places. Children have malnutrition. Their living style and their inability to attend to a healthier routine are the main reasons for their illness.

2.2 Impact social-economic class and social situation on a person’s health

Often social situations of an individual can cause their health to deteriorate. According to Kraus et al. (2017), in the UK, gender and race play an important role, the main greatest social destined of an individual’s health outcome. Minorities such as females, people of color(black/brown/Asian), transgender, LGBTQ community, ethnic minorities people may face discrimination from their social system. Disabled, autistic and transgender people usually need to have heaps of medical care but their needs are often avoided because of their situation in society.  According to Bills (2018), the social situation and social-economic class have a similar impact on a person’s health. According to Ellen, (2017), social factors have a crucial and unavoidable impact on people’s health outcomes. Various social-economic, social factors impact everyone’s health.

3.0 Conclusion

In this report, it is made clear that one’s verified socio-economic class and social situation impact a person’s health in British society. According to White, k (2017), a separate person’s social standings cannot simply be avoided by different lifestyle choices or genetics. Rather, social-economic inequality is the reason for it. So, it is apparent that a society that values the purist achievement of representation of attainment breeds division in the health system. It is also transparent that, a healthy society of healthy individuals means equality, social attachment and social justice.

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